Master of My Soul
by hopelessromantic5
Summary: What happens when a person loses his humanity? Jacob Black, the cruelest dominant of the new world, is the perfect example. In a strict and unforgiving caste system it will take the lowest of the low to help him find what he had long lost. Can Seth, a submissive slave, achieve such task before it's too late? Contains heavy angst, abuse and cruelty.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everybody! This new story will have a very sad beginning. I can only guarantee that it will stir some deep emotions in some of you. Please be warned that it will include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form. This is a fictional work with fictional characters and I present it as such. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 1**

"_Hurry up dogs; we have to make it to that hill before sundown, I have a schedule to keep!"_ Yelled the lead transporter to the small group of submissives that was being mobilized north after being bought in an auction down south. The task of getting up a hill was easy enough, but complicated by the chains they were bound with.

"_Man we should party a little with them tonight, get them really stretched and slippery for their new owners." _Snickered a wolf with dirty fur and missing teeth.

"_No, nobody touches them; I will get less money if they get fucked. I guess that if they feel tight, it gives them the illusion they bought virgins"_ commented the head of the caravan and lead transporter with a humorless mental chuckle.

"_Virgins; yeah right, these here haven't been virgins for years, especially this one." _Said another wolf while lunging towards the smallest one, making him fall on his side onto the muddy ground. Getting the small wolf's sandy coat covered in dark red mud, small pebbles and grass. Of the nine wolves that made up the caravan only six were letting out barks resembling laughter. The submissives had learned a long time ago to not show emotion as that may earn them punishment.

Unfortunately this caused all three submisives to come to a halt as they were linked together with a long chain and even though the sandy wolf was making an effort to stand up quickly before the lead transporter hit him, the ground was slippery and that combined with the fact that he was exhausted and hungry made the situation even more challenging.

"_Stand up idiot! I swear I'll beat the crap out of you, hurry up!" _Mentally yelled the lead transporter at the sandy wolf. "_And you, stop messing with them, if I lose my patience and kill any of them, you don't get paid, understood?_" He added for the benefit of his helpers.

It was the year two thousand nine hundred and twenty seven. After all the discoveries, wars, struggles for power and dominance, humankind was defeated by the smallest organism, a virus. The Norwana virus, named after the country with the first occurrence of the virus, was ten times worse than Ebola. Its victims shriveled down to nothing, as not blood, but water escaped their bodies. The human body is seventy percent water and the Norwana created a chemical imbalance in which the body's signals got confused and expelled the water from its cells making the victim slowly and painfully turn into a dry shell. No matter how much fluid was injected into the patient, it would end up in a puddle around the dying victim. It decimated the world's population in four months, going from ten billion to a few hundreds.

Only those with natural resistance to the virus survived. Those "_lucky" ones _faced a destiny even crueler than the disease because the ones who got sick died within forty eight hours. The humans with natural resistance not only had to witness as their family and friends turned into a raisin and died. They became the lowest group on the food chain, and fell prey to the only other group beside shifters that survived the pandemic, the vampires. As the human population diminished so did their blood supply, they became desperate as they faced the reality of an eternity without blood, dying every day without the hope of finding comfort in death.

The shifters were unable to protect the humans as all of them were grieving and tending to their own families. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters all fell victim to the cruel organism and the shifters had the task of helping them during their passage to the land of their ancestors and bury their shriveled bodies after they passed. No family remained intact, the pain and loss could be seen in the eyes of each and every shifter.

"_Move, move, move! I've never seen such a pathetic group. I don't know who I pity more, you or the idiot that paid money for any of you. You're not worth shit and will probably die in the first week_." His sinister laugh was laced with disgust at having to deal with the submissives. It was a humiliating job, delivering subs to their owners, but it paid very well. The abuse had been constant and any disrespect whether it was real or just perceived real was paid with a beating.

After all the fires died down and the dirt settled in the billions of graves all over the world the land turned to a free for all. There were no more countries, no boundaries, no borders and no walls. As expected, a war was forged between the vampires and the shifters. The vampires, being in a clear disadvantage had to raise the white flag and admit their defeat. The shifters had a great advantage, they could potentially have children and multiply their numbers, when on the other hand the vampires didn't have that possibility.

They reached a compromise that benefited both groups. All the vampires were exiled to Africa and Asia where the abundant wildlife would provide nourishment for them. Without the influence of poachers and hunters the animal population would grow. They would never be truly satiated, but they would not perish. If they controlled themselves they could live an eternity in those lands, after all, since the war with the shifters there were less than four hundred vampires left in the world and they had no possibility of increasing their numbers. There were no humans to turn and shifters blood was poisonous to them. The shifters claimed the Americas, making the land return to their rightful owners.

At the end of the era of men there were close to two thousand shifters. Their numbers grew slowly since there were very few female shifters. Females were protected and revered among the packs. In the beginning the females could choose who they wanted to marry. As the realization of the scarcity of females sunk in, they became the new currency and the strength and dominance of a pack was determined in part by the numbers of females in their pack. More females meant more shifters; more shifters would provide the numbers to prevail in any confrontation. The elders and the regional councils devised rules and regulations for marriages. Women were only allowed to marry landowners and high ranking soldiers. Any shifter had to excel at something important to deserve a female. After so many years with such a tremendous shortage of females, homosexuality was very common, widely accepted and encouraged. Many shifters opted to live their lives with a male partner and lived very happy productive lives.

There were extremely strange instances were a submissive could bear children. There had been only six submissives with such luck and none in the last twenty years. When a boy began showing signs of the impending change, they were taken to the elders of each tribe who observed them until the final stage in the process took place. When they shifted for the first time, a change that had evolved to the point it didn't need to be triggered by vampires anymore, they would fall in one of two categories, dominants or submissives. The dominants were the majority and could choose any job they wanted among what was available, in wolf form they were twice the size of any sub. After a dominant phased for the first time, the biggest and strongest wolves were offered a position in the army, which was an honor. Their main task was the protection of their pack and way of life. The others could choose from what was available, from providing maintenance to the solar panels and windmills that harvested energy to be converted to electricity to working the land, among several other tasks. After the energy crisis of the twenty five hundreds, humans desisted on depending on fossil fuels and perfected the technologies for harvesting the energy from the sun and the wind.

The submissives on the other hand were placed under strict supervision for forty eight hours. The few lucky ones would begin a heat cycle immediately and were sought after the best suitors in the land, to mate and reproduce. They wouldn't mate in their first cycle, but six months to a year later when the second one took place. During that time they had the opportunity to choose a husband that would protect and love them for the rest of their lives. If they didn't go on a heat cycle, their parents were given the one time opportunity to buy their freedom. If for any reason their parents couldn't cover the astronomical amount, they would be destined to a life of servitude, a fate worse than death if you asked them. Once they became slaves there was no turning back and no way to escape their fate. Since the great pandemic and eventual uprising of different families, these laws had been in place to deal with immediate needs and as it usually happened stayed as part of their culture.

"_We'll camp here for the night, phase back so I can put your collars back on and no monkey business or you will meet the end of my whip_" Submissives lives were not worth anything and even though they were quite expensive, nobody would be penalized for killing one of them. The leader of the caravan would just need to reimburse the owner for what he paid, but this was something no transporter looked forward to.

The three submissives in the caravan shifted back to their human bodies and waited on their knees for the transporter to place their collars back in place. After each collar clicked around their necks and was secured with the special key made individually for each collar, they were allowed to go relieve themselves and wash up.

The submissives who were destined to be slaves main purpose was to appease the sexual needs of their owners, better known as masters. The day a submissive was fitted with their collar, was the last day of their life and the first day of their existence. The collar was made of a special iron alloy that made it very strong and unbreakable, while flexible enough to be shaped in a circle. In the time of the humans it was used in aircrafts, because of its strength and light weight. Any shifter that tried to phase while using the collar chocked to death or was decapitated. Unfortunately over the years that had been the most common way for submissives to end their miserable lives. If a sub felt they couldn't go on, they just phased and in a few seconds everything was over. Seth thought about it more than once, the first time had been during his initiation as a submissive, a time in his life he preferred to bury in the deepest recesses of his mind.

"You know who bought you?" Whispered a man that had introduced himself as Embry.

"No, and you?" Asked Seth in the same hushed tone.

"I heard some names earlier but I don't know who goes with who"

"What names did you hear?" Asked a bitter young man with a deep scar on the right side of his face, wolves had increased resistance to disease and scaring but unlike the dominants, the subs could still scar if the wound was deep enough or if they were burned severely. He introduced himself as Michael.

"I heard Black and Uley, there was a third one but they noticed I was listening and swatted me away"

"Shit I hope I don't go to the Blacks" Added Michael.

"Why?"

"The father, William, is pretty decent, he doesn't even take submissives, but he gives his son free reign, Jacob is the thing nightmares are made of. No sub lasts more than a couple of weeks with him, some not even a few days, he is one of the reasons there is a shortage of subs."

"They are all the same, they beat you and they fuck you." Interjected Seth sadly.

"Not Black, he is a monster, known to beat a sub to a pulp for just lifting their gaze or speaking without permission."

"Who the hell gave you mother fuckers permission to talk?" The transporter started beating the three men with a stiff cane that made a frightful noise as it moved through the air, each strike making the men buck under the impact. It felt like fire and lightning hitting them all at once, blotting out every other thought or sensation.

"If it was up to me I would shoot you right here, but your owners paid me in advance to deliver you to them."

The three shifters limped and dragged themselves to the campsite where the leader of the transport threw a piece of bread and some meat on the floor for each one of them. Taking their meager dinner, they tried to remove as much dirt from their food as they could and ate what they were given silently, their backs still throbbing from the most recent punishment.

North America and Canada merged as one country and was divided unequally into two territories, the east and the west. This division didn't come easy, it happened after lots of bloodshed and grief. In a way the battle had been similar to the civil war that was fought by humans almost 11 centuries before. At the end, the East, which covered three thirds of the territory, was claimed by the Black family, they were fearless warriors; the loss of the matriarch of the family at the hands of the enemy ignited the flame that propelled and imparted them with strength, granting them victory. Mr. William Black alongside his son Jacob Black formed the most powerful and feared pack in the Americas.

Everything had changed; society had new norms and divisions. The highest position belonged to the owners of the land in the case of the East, it was the Blacks. Right below them were the females which were treated as porcelain dolls, but had to give their mates as many children as their bodies allowed. Any shifter who fathered a daughter immediately escalated one step on the social ladder. Below the women were the high ranking officers of the army, especially those dedicated to the protection of the landowners. The soldiers were followed by the biggest group, the servants.

The servants worked in the few industries that were still functioning. Farming, engineering and as the help in the estates. The Blacks controlled the meat and dairy industry, providing beef milk and eggs for the whole eastern region and parts of Central America. This was the most prolific industry since it consisted of the main food items consumed by the shifters. They also owned thousands of acres dedicated to corn, potatoes, wheat and hay.

There were no celebrities, no professional sports, no television, no radio and no internet. The communication industry became obsolete and deemed unnecessary since the shifters from the same pack could automatically communicate telepathically through thousands of miles. If the shifter was from a different pack the communication was still possible but was not automatic. When the shifters rebuilt the world they needed to prioritize, food and defense becoming the most important industries.

After finishing their dinner the subs were tied to a thick tree trunk using the loop each one of them had on their collars. They had to sleep on the floor in a semi-seated position since the chain was not long enough to allow them to lie down. They were all naked, since nobody had bothered to give them anything to cover themselves with since the auction.

It was a beautiful night, the velvety darkness of the night sky was filled with millions of sparkly diamonds, dancing with each other with interminable joy. Seth stared into the night sky wondering how so much beauty could be witness to the horrors him and the others had to go through on a daily basis.

"Do you ever get scared Seth?" Asked Embry, this would be one of those rare opportunities he would be able to speak with another person who understood exactly how he felt.

"Yes all the time, nobody likes pain you know, what about you?"

"Of course." Embry paused for a minute. "Seth how old are you?"

"I'm not sure, I stopped celebrating my birthday years ago, there is nothing to celebrate anyway. If I had to take a guess, I would say I'm around twenty nine. And you?" Just like any other shifter Seth's age wasn't evident in his appearance. Their physical appearance frozen at the age they phased for the first time. In Seth's case he would forever look like a fourteen year old.

"I'm twenty four, my old master fell in love with the captain of the guard and decided to sell me." Explained Embry.

"I've had two masters. The first one was really bad, he almost killed me on several occasions. He was awful to everybody, not just me, even his father fell victim to his wrath many times. As expected he was killed during a hunting trip, they never caught the person who did it, but nobody was really looking for a culprit, everybody was glad he was gone, especially me. I was with him for five years but felt more like fifty. The second one was not as bad, just your usual rich dominant. At least his beatings never got out of hand; he trained me to be everything that can be expected of a submissive. The first one never trained me and would beat me up whenever I made a mistake. He married a woman from Brazil and she demanded he got rid of me." Seth's back was sore from the whipping he received earlier and rubbing it against the coarse tree trunk was not helping it heal fast enough.

"Shit my back is bothering me." He said repositioning himself the best he could.

"Move forward a little" Embry's request was strange but Seth didn't question it, years of obeying orders programmed him to obey without question.

Seth felt a warm hand on his back sliding ever so gentle over the bruised flesh. A wave of relief enveloped him, the pain diminishing until he only felt a slight discomfort. He turned his head toward Embry, his eyes wide in surprise and astonishment. "You're a healer" Whispered Seth. Embry just nodded affirmatively afraid to acknowledge his gift.

"You never told your master?" Asked Seth.

"He knew, but forbade me from saying anything; my only guess is that he didn't want to lose me. I always did what he asked and this is how he paid me." Pain and sadness was etched on Embry's features as he told the tale of what he obviously considered a betrayal.

"You loved him" Seth mouthed the words afraid of saying them out loud. It was against the law for a submissive to fall in love; if they did they could be killed on the spot, no questions asked. Even if it was just a suspicion, when it came to subs, civil rights were nonexistent. Once again Embry nodded affirmatively while wiping a tear away.

Seth was stumped; he had never met anybody as fascinating as Embry. Even after all the years of abuse Seth kept his humanity, refusing to be turned into an animal. His compassion knew no limits and he felt oddly attracted to the man beside him. It was not a sexual attraction, it was brotherly. They shared a bond that had been etched into their very skin just like the many scars they sported. Embry's head was hung low as salty droplets fell to the ground. Seth just grabbed his hand interlacing their fingers and pulled Embry's head to his shoulder. Embry's thirst for human contact allowed him to accept the gift of friendship Seth was giving him, even if it was just for one night. Submissives never formed bonds with other subs, they knew the person next to them could be killed in front of their eyes and there was nothing they could do about it, except suffer in silence.

"Rise and shine my pretties!" Yelled the transporter at the same time he and his helpers peed on the three submissives. They were caught by surprise and gagged as some of their putrid fluid fell in their mouths. The men just laughed at them, before untying them and taking them to the creek to wash up. They knew they couldn't deliver them stinking of urine or they would not be paid the full price for their services. It was ridiculous that they could be delivered with bruises but not stinking or fucked. That was the only reason they didn't rape them the night before like they wanted to, their owners would inspect them as soon as they reached their destiny and if there was evidence of recent sexual activity, some money would've been deducted.

The aroma of eggs and bacon reached the three subs making their mouths water and their stomachs grumble loudly. But they would not receive any food, they were scheduled to arrive before noon and if their owners wanted to feed them they would incur with expense. After all, they were all filthy rich and had money to waste on food for the dogs.

After running for three hours they reached the property of the Uleys, its owner Sam Uley was an associate of the Blacks and Jacob's best friend since childhood. He was as handsome as he was cruel, never wanting a wife even though he could've had any woman he wanted. He never cared to share why he preferred to remain single, unwilling to accept a male or female mate. He was a six foot nine tower of pure muscle, which granted him the nickname The Great Wall. His parents had died during the pandemic but William Black had basically adopted him as another son, sharing his wealth with him.

A soldier intercepted them as they approached the edge of the property. The soldiers were overzealous when it came to the protection of the estates and the landowners. They were well aware of the humiliation a shamed soldier went through on a daily basis. When they were stripped of their rank they had to join the servants and become a regular citizen without the privileges the military provided.

"_What business you have here?"_ Asked the soldier.

"_I'm delivering a submissive to Mr. Uley. Mr. Black bought these subs at the auctions in Georgia and gave instructions for one of them to be delivered here. I have all the paperwork."_

"_That's right, his last one died a week ago. I hope this one lasts longer because he gets in a crappy mood when he doesn't have a sub to fuck." _

"_I give no guarantees, I just transport them. It's enough to have to put up with these creatures."_

"_Which one is his?"_

"_I don't care, you choose, they all look the same to me anyway."_

"_You" _The soldier pointed at Embry "_I hope your ass is ready, because your new master will pound you until you either can't walk or die."_

Seth cringed at the idea of Embry dying at the hands of his new master, but all he could do was give a sideways glance at his new friend before he was pulled away by the leader of the caravan. Who knew, maybe the one dead in a few days would be him, like the transporter said, there were no guarantees.

They ran for another hour before they reached a beautiful property, surrounded by tall oak trees and acre after acre of gorgeous green fields. There were several thirty to forty foot long hay barns, ponds and orchards. Just like in the Uley property a soldier intercepted them the second they laid a paw on the land.

"_What do you want?"_

"_I'm delivering these two subs Mr. Black bought." _The soldier glanced disinterested and disgusted at the two remaining subs Seth and Michael.

"_Follow me; they must be for Carlos and Jacob. Carlos sub died five days ago and I guess Jacob heard he was getting a new one and killed his."_

"_How did he kill him?" _Asked one of the helpers with the only intention of scaring the subs.

"_Fucked him continually until his body gave out from the hemorrhage, he even invited some of us to join the fun."_ They all laughed as the soldier made a mental recollection of the appearance of the body when he and two others were told to get it outside and burn it. Seth and Michael felt a shiver begin on their necks and end on their tails as they realized they were destined to the same cruel fate.

They ran within the boundaries of the property for another thirty minutes passing several farmhouses that on their own looked like small neighborhoods. They all had beautiful gardens; one with toys in the yard, Seth couldn't help the yearning and sadness in his heart at the sight in front of him. He always dreamed of having a family of his own, he knew it was impossible, that home probably belonged to a high ranking officer or a war hero and it could never belong to a sub. The grounds were overflowing with apple trees and drifts of lavender, the aroma was sweet and enticing.

The group was in awe when the most beautiful house any of them had ever seen came into sight. It could only be described as coming out of a fairy tale. This mansion would've put Cinderella's castle to shame. It was three stories high, with five towers and a steeply-pitched roof. The outside consisted of gray bricks with paired windows set in arches and combined with big bay windows. There were several balconies coming from what could only be the main bedrooms in the mansion. Lush greenery all around it with lines of cedars projecting from each side of the house. A dense forest could be observed to one side of it.

The sight in the front yard would've turned any man to stone. There were a couple of massive wolves fighting or playing, it was hard to tell the difference. One of them was a silver beast with a black face; the other was even bigger than the first one and had a very unique color, russet brown.

As the small group approached them they stopped their roughhousing and turned to look at them.

"_Sir this gentleman and his companions are delivering the two subs your father bought recently."_

"_About time they got here, I'm getting a serious case of blue balls." _The though coming from the russet beast.

"_Subs, phase. I want to see you as humans." _Ordered the same wolf, his mental voice dripping with authority.

Both subs phased but remained on their knees with their eyes glued to the floor until the transporter placed their collars on. They were not allowed to lift their eyes to look at the dominants since that was considered disrespectful. With the corner of their eye they could see as the silver and russet wolves shifted back to their human forms.

The two men in front of them could only be described as the most perfect specimens of all mythical creatures. They both shared the Native American characteristics, clear sign of their ancestry. They both had the most beautiful caramel color skin with thick black hair and a proud nose. The silver wolf was a handsome man who didn't look a day over eighteen, a little over six feet tall, strong arms and a strong jaw. He had a permanent scowl on his face and a stance that screamed he was not one to back off from a fight.

The russet wolf was close to seven feet tall, with big strong arms, full lips and an intimidating expression on his face. His young appearance, looking not a day over sixteen, in stark contrast to the darkness in his expression. Seth had always been very perceptive and that probably saved his life on several occasions. It was a very convenient skill to be able to predict your master moods, needs and desires. This in addition to his sweet demeanor accounted for his old age. He felt that wolf was a truly troubled individual, a lost soul unable to find peace within himself. To most people he would seem to be cruel, to Seth he was a victim of his reputation.

What made them even more terrifying for the subs was the fact that they were extremely well endowed. Sooner than later they would get to experience firsthand those monsters burying themselves deep within them. Seth flinched at the memory of all the times he had been sexually abused.

"Stand up" Ordered a man with a deep voice. They noticed it came from the taller of the two.

"Shit you are two scrawny little things." Said russet with a disgusted expression. He walked around, inspecting them like they were horses. He poked and prodded in the most humiliating way, making them bend over to make sure they had not been raped on their way there.

"Should I get Carlos sir?" Asked one of the other soldiers.

"Nope I'll choose mine and you'll take the other one to his room. Serves him right for opting to take a nap instead of joining the exercises."

"I'm sorry to say this Jacob, but your godfather is a lazy bum." Commented the silver wolf.

"I know Paul."

Jacob continued circling the two subs that by that moment were trembling like leaves during a hurricane. He was inspecting them, deciding which one would be his next victim.

"I want this one." Said Jacob pointing towards Seth

"May I ask why sir? He is smaller than the other." Questioned one of the soldiers.

"Exactly Jared, so is safe to assume he is going to be tighter." He was joined by the other in a symphony of malicious chuckling "Take him inside, shave his head and get him cleaned up. Then take him to my room and chain him. I'll be there shortly to take what's mine."

"Take the other one to Carlos room; I don't know if he also wants to get rid of that filthy mop on his head. I'll leave it up to him"

One servant approached Seth and grabbing his arm pulled him toward the house. With the corner of his eye Seth saw his new master looking at him lustily while the wolf named Paul, elbowed him on the ribs while sharing a malicious laugh. Seth knew his fate was sealed; he had a new master, Jacob Black, the most heartless master in the dominant world. His only comfort being the possibility that his suffering could end very soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm very excited for all the favorable comments and for the way you all received this story. Thanks to all of you who favorite and alerted the story. I want to especially thank all the wonderful reviewers, your words of encouragement and the feedback you offer gives me energy and helps me become a better writer. **

**Disclaimer 1: I do not own Twilight, its plot or any of its characters.**

**Disclaimer 2: Please be warned that this work will include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form. This is a fictional work with fictional characters and I present it as such. **

**Disclaimer 3: If this story is deleted from this site I will be posting it in yourfanfiction dot com. **

**Chapter 2**

"Edward, come with me, we have to get this sub ready for Jacob, and you know he doesn't like to wait."

"Why me? I'm just here taking a breather from the kitchen. I have things to do." Answered Edward uninterested.

"C'mon man I hate going down there, at least come and keep me company."

"Why should I? I don't even like you."

"Ed you are such an idiot. Just come, it will not take long. Did you see how tiny is this thing? He is a really pathetic looking creature." At this Edward furrowed eyebrows rose on his forehead and his face contorted in a mix of disgust and pity.

"Like you are so cute. Let's go, I better keep an eye on you." The servant walked inside the house with Seth in tow. Edward couldn't help but notice the number of horizontal scars on Seth's skin. Some of them slightly elevated but each one of them a testament to some past horror. Edward followed them down two sets of narrow stairs until they arrived at a damp musty room in the basement. It had no furniture with the exception of an old chair, but it had a wood stove and a bathroom with a small shower.

Roughly grabbing Seth's shoulder length hair, the servant who by that point Seth knew was named Peter, gathered his hair in a ponytail before chopping it off with a knife. He then took a razor and shaved Seth's head clean. Seth whimpered internally watching his tresses hit the floor, he always liked wearing his hair long and having his head shaved clean was just the first of a series of humiliating events.

Edward started the shower and pushed Seth inside before handing him the razor. "Shave your face, your crotch, your ass and your armpits. Your master doesn't like his subs to have body hair. Then take that soap and clean yourself really good, get all the grime from under your nails and your ears." Seth hastily did as the servant instructed knowing that it would be detrimental for him if he made the master angry on his first day there.

"If you want to survive you have to be respectful and know your place. You should never speak unless you're asked something and given permission to answer. You'll pleasure the master each time he wants and any way he wants. Every morning a servant will bring his breakfast and he will release you. Depending on his schedule that day you'll probably get your first fuck session of the day. When he is done you'll go to the small bathroom in his suite and jump in the shower. Don't let your master find any filth on you or you'll pay in blood and pain." Explained Edward.

"Have you been trained?" Asked Peter, when Seth didn't answer him he motioned to slap him but Edward stopped him.

"Idiot, you didn't give him permission to speak, don't punish him for your stupidity."

"Answer my question dog!" Bellowed Peter after giving Edward a glare. If looks could kill Edward would have passed to form part of the histories of their people.

"Yes sir I have been trained" Answered Seth in a small voice, one of the trademarks of the submissives.

"For your sake I hope your previous master did a good job." Edward's voice had a tint of sadness and compassion in it.

"Hurry up" Ordered Peter impatiently "I hate being down here, it's creepy."

Seth stepped out of the shower and dried hastily before being directed to the sink to brush his teeth. After what they called the _sanitizing routine_ was over they directed him toward a different set of stairs than the one they used to go down to the basement. This time they climbed four sets of stairs that encompassed two floors. Arriving at what Seth could guess was the second floor; they walked through a wide hallway.

The small submissive felt even smaller among all the grandiosity in front of him. The floors were pure marble and multiple works of art hung from the walls. The walls were painted in different shades of yellow, brown, squash and white. He could see beautiful flower arrangements on top of a few console tables that were pushed against the walls. The whole area smelled like roses and looked bright and clean. He couldn't help to chuckle internally thinking that he had never seen such a beautiful dungeon.

For all practical purposes this would be his jail, he would never be allowed to leave without being escorted by his master or somebody appointed by him. It was not like he could escape. His master would find him in matter of minutes. Even if Jacob didn't find him, anybody he bumped into, would surely deliver him back to his master. That would be the shortest reunion ever; even before he could draw a breath he would be dead. He wasn't even sure if given the opportunity he could make any type of decisions. It had been so long since he had to think on his own. Since he phased at fourteen and was initiated as a submissive slave, he had not been able to decide anything about his life or his body. The only decision he was faced with on a daily basis was to die or to live one more day. To die was easy, he just needed to provoke his master so he would kill him or take matters into his own hands and phase while wearing his collar. The thought had crossed his mind, but he was a survivor. He was one of those people who could live under impossible circumstances, which was sadly funny since he was considered to be very weak.

As they moved down the long hallway he saw several closed doors very far apart from each other and wondered where those doors lead to. One of these doors would lead to his prison, to the place where he would be exposed to the biggest degradation and the worse crippling pain. He only had two masters in his life, but he was well aware that for a sub he had lived a long life. Most subs never made it pass their early twenties, many not even making it out of their teens. At his age he could be considered ancient.

"This is your stop, dog" Announced Peter.

They stood in front of a set of heavy carved doors that looked rustic and ornate at the same time. Made from a rich mahogany wood, it was carved with rows of concentric squares that allowed the rich grain of the wood to come through and be enjoyed. For such a heavy looking door it didn't make a sound opening smoothly and without effort.

After the group stepped inside the room Seth couldn't help feeling like his breath was stuck inside his throat unwilling to leave or enter his body. The bedroom had to be the size of a small house. To the right he could see a study with a huge desk covered in papers and books. The wall right behind the desk had floor to ceiling bookshelves flanking a glass window. From the distance Seth couldn't discern the titles of the books but hoped that he would be allowed to read at least one of them. Until the day he phased he had been a good student and enjoyed learning. He always tried his hardest in an effort to compensate in the eyes of his father his many shortcomings.

The seating area consisted of two white couches, a coffee table and two side tables with a lamp on each one. After passing the sitting area they entered the main sleeping room. Pushed against the wall was a double king size canopy bed with a dark brown finish and marble accents. The headboard was upholstered in fine leather. The oversize pillar bedposts had rich and intricate ornamental details topped with bracketed moldings. The antique brass finished hardware was the crown jewel of this ode to opulence. The bed was unmade but even from the distance he guessed it was very soft and comfortable. He hadn't been able to sleep in a bed in so many years he doubted he could, even if given the opportunity.

"Welcome to the last room you'll ever inhabit since there had never been a sub able to leave this room for good while still alive."

"Stop it Peter, there is no need to be cruel, you're scaring the kid." Scolded Edward. Seth could see that while Peter was insensitive and cruel, Edward had a good heart.

"I'm not being cruel Ed, just realistic. You know as well as I do how Jacob treats his subs." Explained Peter in a no-nonsense tone.

Edward seemed thoughtful for a minute before he added. "He is right kid, though luck." He stopped to take a breath before continuing, it was obvious that the task of introducing Seth to his new environment troubled him tremendously.

"Through that door you'll find your master's bathroom and the dressing room. Yours is the small adjoining bathroom, you can enter it through the door on the right" Seth made mental notes of everything he was being shown, he knew nobody would answer any questions and expect him to know all the answers. He peeked inside the bathroom, on the far end he could see a spa tub and what he guessed was part of the shower door. There were clothes and towels on the floor and the sink cabinet. Seth thought he had his work cut off for him, organizing that room was going to probably take him a day or two.

"It will be your responsibility to keep the room and the bathrooms clean. You'll change the bed linens every day, especially since they will usually have blood on them, your blood." Seth felt a momentary chill all over his body, knowing that his fate had been sealed the minute he walked inside that room. "You will do your own laundry by hand but you don't have to do your master's laundry, you have to sort the laundry and put the hampers out in the hallway as early as possible. They will be returned to the same spot in the afternoon."

"Your master is a very private person and prefers to enjoy his meals in his room. You must never, you hear me, never, eat any of his food. It doesn't matter if he is done and full as a tick, don't touch his food. He will feed you whatever he determines you deserve and/or need. Are you getting all this?" Seth nodded affirmatively "I hope so, for your own good and for mine. I'm tired of giving the same speech every week" Peter's tone was one of disdain. It was very troubling that he wouldn't want to be bothered with giving the same speech every week but didn't care of the reason he had to train a new sub every week. Seth blanched at the realization that his new master was as horrible as Michael said he was. His gut told him that was the case from the moment he set eyes on him. He still prayed and hoped he was mistaken.

"Your master will be here shortly, I hope you're ready. He disposed of his last sub several days ago and by now is probably horny as a three balled tomcat." Added Peter with a look that seemed dangerously like pity, very unlikely, since pity was an emotion that would never be wasted on a sub.

"Come." He pulled Seth toward the wall right behind the dining table. There it was, Seth had been asking himself since the moment he set foot inside that beautiful room were his chain would be located. Hidden by the table was a heavy chain with one end bolted to the wall, the other end had a hook that would lock on the ring on his collar. As expected there was no bed, not even a blanket on the cold floor.

"Anytime the master walks in the room you should go on your knees with your eyes on the floor, if you have been trained like you claimed you have, you should know that. I hope you remember because it may save your life." Explained Edward, he was making sure to do everything in his power to prolong Seth's life. The sub got on his knees and Edward proceeded to lock the chain in place.

"Good luck little one." Said Edward with a sad melancholic tone to his voice.

After the servants left the room Seth sat on the floor relaxing for the first time since the day started. He ran a hand over his scalp and felt a strange sensation from the lack of hair. It was a shame; he had always managed to keep his shoulder length hair, the only sign of individuality he had been allowed to preserve; now he didn't even have that. He felt the all familiar sting in his eyes as they filled with tears, but collected himself wiping them clean. It was common knowledge that no master liked seeing a sub cry; more than one sub had been killed because of that terrible infraction.

From the position of the sun as it came through the window he deduced it should be between two or three in the afternoon. He began studying the room in more detail when he heard the swooshing sound as the door was quickly opened and closed. Heavy footsteps approached him quickly and the scent he had detected as belonging to Jacob reached him. Immediately he kneeled with his hands by his sides and his eyes locked on the floor concentrating on the design on the tiles so he wouldn't be even slightly tempted to lift his gaze and look at his master.

"That's more like it; at least those two idiots got it right this time."

"Stand up!" Seth stood up quickly, but kept his head hung low and his eyes on the floor, he didn't even dare to move his arms not wanting to risk any misunderstanding. Jacob ran his rough hand over Seth's hairless chest and crotch.

"Nice, I guess the servants already told you, but since I can't trust anybody to give exact instructions, I have to do it myself, but be warned I will only tell you once. If I have to repeat myself I'll be very tempted to break something, preferably your face. You understand?" Seth nodded affirmatively knowing very well that no noise should escape his lips, no matter what.

"Good, you know not to speak. You must always be clean and hairless. You'll sleep chained since I can't trust anybody, especially a filthy sub who may be very tempted to try to kill me in my sleep. Not that you would succeed but I will give you plenty of reasons to wish me dead. In the morning a servant will release you I expect you to be clean and ready for anything I want when I wake up. You'll fetch my tray for lunch and dinner, my food better get here still warm or you'll regret opening your eyes that morning. Are you following? Answer!"

"Yes master" Something in Seth's voice made his new master tone down the meanness by one percent, not much, but something.

"You will never touch my food, I don't care if you're hungry I'll feed you when I feel like it. If I forget, who cares? I've learned subs are more resilient than they appear."

"Now the fun part… I'll take your mouth and your ass as many times as I see fit, you're my property and I intend to get my money's worth. The only time you'll climb on my bed is when I tell you to come over so I can fuck you. As soon as I'm done you'll get off and run to the bathroom to get cleaned up, that is if you can run; if you cannot even walk I don't care as long as you are ready for when I want to take you again."

"Can your tiny brain comprehend what I'm saying?" Seth only nodded affirmatively since he was not told to speak.

"You seem like a smart one, at least you seem to be properly trained, saves me the trouble. Now come suck me I got hard as soon as I got a whiff of your scent." A subs scent was very enticing to any dominant, which was one of the reasons why initially they came up with the idea of using subs as sex slaves.

Seth's master moved toward the bed sure that Seth was following him. When he realized that was not the case he jumped in front of his new sub and slapped him so hard he almost knocked him off his feet.

"I take it back; you are an idiot, just like every other sub I've ever met. If you're looking for excuses to get on my bad side let me tell you I'm not someone you want to have as an enemy. Now move before I drag you myself!" Since Seth couldn't speak he walked until the chain yanked him back. He held it up for his master to see and unlock it.

"Fuck, you're stuck to the wall." He walked towards the sub unlocking the chain with the key that hung around his neck, allowing it to fall to the floor with a loud clink.

Jacob removed his pants before getting in bed where he sat sprawled before Seth. "What are you waiting for? Get my cock in your mouth!"

Seth climbed carefully on the bed making an effort not to move too forcefully and disturb his master. He was leaning down toward his master's groin when a big hand grabbed his face painfully. "Be warned, if you scrape me with your teeth you'll lose them, I'll pull them out myself." Seth made a mental note to keep his teeth below the line of his lips to avoid any accidents. He lowered himself toward the awaiting head encasing it in his moist cave. The sub couldn't help but feel his body reacting to the flavor and the scent of his new master. It was not at all unpleasant, he had an intense musky smell, he had probably been exercising for hours before Seth arrived, theory that was confirmed by the salty flavor.

"Oh fuck, that's what I'm talking about" Jacob closed his eyes to bask in the sexual pleasure and slight tremors rippled through his chiseled stomach and his legs. His breathing quickened, his rhythmic heartbeat fast and strong. He was definitely enjoying himself; there was no doubt about it. Seth would pop out the head to lick its whole length finishing by applying kitten kisses on the glistening head. Jacob's breathing became ragged to the point he started growling. He started bucking against Seth's mouth while moaning loudly.

Seth's movements were stilled by two meaty hands holding him on each side of the head. "Stop blowing me, I want to fuck your ass, on all fours now!" Bellowed Jacob with difficulty. Seth did as instructed and in one swift motion Jacob buried himself to a hilt. Without giving the sub one second to get used to the intrusion, he began pounding him to his complete delight. Of course he wouldn't have any kind of consideration; as far as Jacob was concerned Seth was nothing but a way to release his anger and sexual frustration.

Seth bit his lips so hard to avoid screaming he drew blood and the coppery taste filled his mouth. At least he had been able to get his master's cock wet, which aided the penetration. He tried his best to stabilize himself on the soft bed, but his master was charging at him like a blood thirsty bull. His whole body would slide forward each time Jacob brutally pushed his length inside him. His moaning was loud, not caring if anybody heard him.

As he had done on many occasions the sub tried to get his mind away from the humiliation he was going through by fantasizing. He had a vivid imagination and used it to escape his horrific reality. In his fantasies he would invariably be a strong and kind dominant that made his whole family proud. Sometimes he would be a soldier whose acts of heroism granted him a spot in the histories of their people. But his favorite one was simply watching himself as a parent, raising his children besides a beautiful woman.

"Oh fuck, you feel so good." Grunted Jacob breathlessly, bringing Seth back to reality.

"I hope you last, because you have a sweet ass, sub."

"Oh shit I'm gonna cum. Tense up, tighten yourself around me." Ordered the master.

"Fuck yes!" Exclaimed Jacob as he emptied himself deep within his sub.

They were both panting exhausted and covered in sweat but for different reasons. While Jacob was basking in the results of his sexual rapture, Seth was grateful it was over. The intrusion had been especially painful since his master was huge in the downstairs department. Jacob pulled out of him and collapsed on the bed, Seth weakened arms and legs shook under him and he realized the only reason he had not fallen on his face was because his master was holding him. Gathering all his strength he started moving to get off the bed per the instructions he received earlier, but he was not fast enough.

"Get off my fucking bed dog, I warned you." As soon as the last syllable left his lips he kicked Seth on his side knocking him off the bed and onto the area rug the bed rested on. His side was sore and he could already see a bruise forming, Jacob probably cracked a rib or two. He didn't whimper and much less complain, just picked himself up and walked to the bathroom with a pronounced limp that made his master laugh.

"Oh yeah, left you limping, at least you can still walk. Enjoy it because by the end of the day you will probably have to crawl to get around."

"Get cleaned up and come back, you have five minutes."

Seth ran to the bathroom the best he could jumping in the shower and concentrating on washing his abused backside and his thighs on which he could feel the dry blood streaks. The moment his master impaled him he felt blood trickling down his leg and prayed that none of it got on the bed. He dried himself and walked back to the bedroom to put himself again at his master's service.

The rest of the day passed with one sexual encounter after the other. The sub lost count of the number of times his master took him, he only knew that his lips were cracked and bleeding and the same went for his asshole. Seth was sore to the point he couldn't walk anymore. In addition he was extremely weak because of the lack of nourishment. He had not eaten anything for twenty four hours, which was not a big deal for humans but for a shifter it was the equivalent of three or four days without food.

From his spot on the floor Seth observed as the different colors filtered through the windows, it changed from white sunlight, to pale orange and red ending with darkness enveloping the room. By the time his master got off the bed satisfied, tired and hungry all the sub could see through the window was the pale moonlight.

"Fuck I'm starving and the kitchen staff is probably waiting for you"

"Can you walk?" Asked Jacob

Seth nodded negatively while kneeling on a small puddle of his own blood.

"What the hell, I'll go get it myself. Just for being a worthless peace of shit incapable of taking a few steps, today you don't get dinner. That will show you." Said Jacob as he left the room.

The moment his master stepped out of the room Seth crumbled to the floor lying on his side. His backside was throbbing. His arms and legs were sore from holding himself up while taking the brutal attack to which his master subjected him. He cursed his fate and his life. Wondering why he insisted on staying alive, there had to be a purpose, a point to all his suffering. He made a monumental effort to stay awake even though he was exhausted; he knew his master would be back soon and if he was found sleeping that would earn him a punishment.

As expected after a couple of hours Jacob came back in the room. By then Seth's healing had picked up and at least his bleeding stopped. Unfortunately the minute his master took him he would start losing blood again. He looked at his new sub kneeling on shaky legs in a small puddle of dry blood and felt disgusted. His repulsion was such he just curled his fingers toward his palm, bent his elbow and swung his arm towards Seth's face. The moment his fist connected with the subs face Jacob felt a slight satisfaction, knowing he was a far superior specimen and the miserable creature in front of him who was not even fit to shine his shoes. The sub fell backwards already unconscious when his head hit the floor.

Jacob licked his knuckles clean and chained Seth to the wall before crawling in bed for the night. He glanced in the subs direction feeling a tinge of guilt. His new slave behaved like the perfectly trained submissive he was, but Jacob still felt necessary to punish him for bleeding on the floor. He never cared or worried about any of this, why was this occasion any different? He had even killed subs in the first few hours without ever feeling any remorse, what made this little dog different? He shook all the thoughts away and decided to call it a night.


	3. Chapter 3

**As always I am so grateful to all of you who favorite, alerted and reviewed this story.**

**To the author who is taking bits and pieces of this story and using them to write her own, I'm very curious to see how you will develop the plot. I know you have talent and good ideas; you have no need to borrow somebody else's. And by the way, imitation is the highest form of flattery so… thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 3**

"Kid wake up" Whispered Edward while shaking Seth lightly, if it wasn't for the steady beat of his heart he would've thought the sub was dead. He was laying still; not even stirring when Edward approached him and unlocked his chain. Usually subs were very in tune with their surroundings as a way to protect themselves and make up for their physical weakness. Seth's lack of attention was a result of having been knocked unconscious the night before in addition to the hunger and sheer exhaustion.

Seth opened his eyes groggily before jumping to his feet scared of having overslept. Before the sub could open his mouth Edward clamped a hand over it, preventing him from making his first mistake of the day.

"Be quiet, Jake is still sleeping, go to the bathroom and get ready quickly. Remember to shave, mind everything we told you yesterday. I'll clean the floor before he notices the smears of dry blood. By the way, feel free to talk to me anytime; don't wait for my authorization to speak. In the linen closet you will find a box with some clothes. The clothes belonged to your predecessor, he was bigger than you so everything will probably be too big, but it's better than walking around naked." Spoke Edward in hushed tones.

"Thank you" Whispered Seth before limping to the bathroom. Once in the shower he thanked his good star for Edward's kindness, something completely foreign to him. Kindness is another of many feelings that was never wasted on a sub. He lathered his whole body and repeated the same shaving routine as the day before. The combination of the warm water and the hunger made his step falter when he was getting out of the shower and had to grab the towel rack to steady himself after momentarily feeling dizzy.

He looked through the old clothes he found in the box, some of them no more than rags. He found a pair of old shorts and a t-shirt that had seen better days, but he was grateful, as Edward said, it beat walking around naked.

The minute he stepped back in the bedroom he felt his whole body shake at the sight of his master already up and having breakfast. Did he take too long in the shower? He scanned the room and scented the air trying to find Edward but he was long gone. The sub just walked back to his spot by the wall and kneeled waiting for his master's instructions. He grabbed his stomach when it grumbled loudly trying to coax it to be quiet but to no avail. Secretly wishing his master would notice and decide to feed him, but he was not very hopeful.

Seth saw how his master finished every morsel of food in his plate and knew he would most likely not get any breakfast. He remained motionless with his eyes downcast trying to blend into the wall in an attempt to be invisible and not call his master's attention. Unfortunately he was out of luck since the minute his master finished his breakfast he motioned for Seth to get on the bed once again, where he submitted his sub to the first fuck session of the day.

"I have work to do, Edward will come get you to show you where the kitchen is. You know what you're supposed to do, if you fail to please me you'll get reacquainted with my fist. Is that clear? Speak!"

"Yes master." After the brief exchange Seth proceeded to change the bed linens and the towels making sure not to make any noise that could displease his master. After placing everything outside the door he cleaned the bathrooms and swept the floor.

A few hours later Edward walked in the room. "Come with me." His tone and demeanor very different from a few hours earlier. While in the morning he seemed warm and friendly, in stark contrast, now he felt detached and cold. Seth followed him walking two steps behind him and making sure not to walk ahead of him while going through the door.

Once they were a fair distance from the room, Edward's demeanor changed and he became relaxed and friendly again. Seth looked at him with a quizzing look in his eyes. "You must be wondering about my behavior, I'm not bipolar or anything like that. In order to be able to help you guys it's easier if everybody believes I'm a jerk just like most people in this house. When we get to the kitchen I'll give you something to eat, I can hear your stomach grumbling from here."

"Thank you" Answered Seth timidly.

"Don't thank me yet; if there are any wolves there I won't be able to give you anything."

"I still thank you for your willingness to help and for your compassion." Edward had to stop to briefly look at the person before him. Not dog, not slave, a living breathing person, with fears, feelings and needs. A person that even though had all the right in the world to be bitter and angry had only been respectful and polite from the moment he set foot on the property. The most important thing was that this politeness was not fake, he seemed sincere and that made it even more admirable.

Seth was making a mental note of every turn, counting the doors and the number of staircases. He knew this route will be an important part of his daily routine. After going through the third arch in a series of hallways they arrived to the great room. Seth's step faltered obviously impressed and overwhelmed by the display of wealth before him. The room was flooded in light coming from a multitude of skylights in the extremely high ceilings. He stepped on the gleaming oak flooring that you could see yourself on. Right in the center there was a double sided brick masonry fireplace, effectively dividing the room. The walls were painted in shades of light blue, cream and copper. On the side closest to them was a lounge area with a piano, guitars and several other instruments. Several brown leather chairs were scattered around that area.

To the opposite side of the lounge Seth observed a sitting area with four big dark brown leather sofas placed across from each other with a big square coffee table right in the middle. The wall looking out to the pool and the garden consisted of a series of glass sliding doors, this allowed for the outside to mix with the inside making the room even more breathtaking. Through the glass the views of the landscape were magical, what had nothing to do with magic was the two men roughhousing in the pool. They were splashing and doing cannonballs that were more fit for ten year olds.

"Those are Felix and James, whatever you do try to stay away from them; they are pricks and have a very unhealthy appetite for subs." Warned Edward with disgust etched on his features, directed at the two rowdy wolves.

"Fuck the doors are open; let's get you out of here before they catch a whiff of your scent." Unfortunately it was too late, one of them had noticed Seth's presence and walked inside with total disregard to the fact he was dripping wet.

"What do we have here? Fresh meat. James get in here, Jake got a new sub!" Called Felix while eyeing Seth with cruel dark eyes.

"Man another one; some guys have all the luck." Said James as he got out of the pool and motioned to follow his friend.

"Stay right there James, don't follow this moron in here. Felix get out of here you're getting the floor all wet!" Screamed Edward while pulling Seth away from Felix's prying eyes.

"C'mon don't take him away, what the heck, he is already limping I'm sure his welcome was very memorable." Said Felix while laughing mockingly.

"Not as memorable as getting your nose broken on your first night here, Jacob really did a number on his face." Seth's bruises were taking longer to fade than usual, which granted him a multicolor face.

"Ed why don't you go back to the kitchen where you belong and leave this sub with us for a little while. We'll like to give him a _just fucked_ face." Said Felix as James stood beside him.

"Jacob ordered me to train him, while under my responsibility you're not laying a finger on him. I don't want to get in trouble with Jake."

"You're such a party pooper Ed." Edward rushed to go through the great room with Seth in tow. They were almost through when a loud whistle called their attention.

"We just want the sub to see what's waiting for him." They had stripped and were holding their cocks. Seth's sharp intake of air was the only evidence of the fear he felt at the obvious threat.

"You're a pair of perverted morons." Commented Edward as he resumed their escape.

"Those two are the biggest assholes you'll ever meet. The only reason they have not been demoted and sent far away from here is that they are two of Jacob's oldest friend and Billy prefers to keep them here where he can supervise them. William, Jacob's father, is the most decent person you will meet in this house. Unlike those two he would never lay a finger on you, unlike his own son, he would never hurt you.

Seth had not even seen the man Edward spoke about. The man who spent a small fortune to buy him just so his son could torture him. At last they reached the kitchen. Seth didn't even notice, getting distracted for the first time since leaving the room. The fear of the two wolves he just saw was very vivid inside him. He was well aware that they presented a huge threat against his ass and even his life. He knew his master wouldn't be thrilled with him showing up to his room after being raped by the pair of perverted morons as Edward named them.

They entered the kitchen through a side door that was destined as a service door. On the opposite wall he could see a double door that lead to the butler's pantry and invariably a formal dining room. Seth could feel the heat emanating from the large pots cooking on one of the stoves and smell the enticing aroma that was mixed in the air with scents of fruits and spices. His mouth watered and his stomach grumbled once more. Edward made haste getting a bowl from the pantry to fill it with the contents of one of the pots. The aroma was amazing and Seth rubbed his hands together in anticipation. It was some type of beef soup with carrots and potatoes. The sub couldn't wait to sink his teeth into the dish but as luck may have it, he would not get to.

Two men walked through the same door they had crossed just a minute before, halting their movement as soon as they saw him. In a learned action that seemed so automatic it looked like a reflex, Seth sank to his knees submissively in front of the two men. He wouldn't look up at them but could feel their eyes on him.

"You two have to wait, I'm getting Jake's lunch out first." Edward huffed in annoyance at the new arrivals. Seth could feel his hope for a hot meal disappear as the pair stood to each side of him.

"Is this his new sub?" Asked the taller one who at that point stood on his right.

"Yea Quil, pathetic little dog isn't he?" Answered Edward.

"I think he is kind of cute, he looks like swee'pea." Said the wolf on the left.

"That's just because of the bald head; you know how Jake insists that they have shaved heads." Answered Quil.

"I know, what's the deal with that? Asked Alec while running the tips of his fingers over Seth's head. In a way it was like he was petting him, treating him like a dog. Seth stood very still resisting the urge to flinch at the touch.

"Jake is kind of strange sometimes; just ponder on the fact that he has been offered the best of what this world has to offer and he still prefers these pathetic creatures." Explained Quil, with a strange sadness in his voice.

"He smells fucking good though. I'm getting hard just standing next to him."

"Fuck Alex that's messed up, I so didn't need to know that." Said Edward with sincere disgust in his voice.

"Do you think Jake would mind if I had some fun with him, it will only take me a minute."

"Believe me we all know it only takes you a minute to pop." Quil's voice was not sad anymore, it was more like dark humor and something else that he masked very well. Seth knew there was something very odd about that specific wolf but couldn't put his finger on it. His best guess was that he had unrequited feelings for his new master.

"Fuck you Quil! You know what I mean." Alex grabbed Seth's arm roughly pulling him up like he was a rag doll.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Jake doesn't share his subs unless he is planning to dispose of them. He just got this one so that's hardly the case. Anyway he is my responsibility right now and you are not going to touch him!" Said Edward angrily. Alex let go of Seth's arm and walked to the kitchen island sitting on one of the stools with Quil by his side.

"Ed you are a great cook but too much of an asshole." Stated Alex grumpily.

"Tell it to somebody who cares." Answered Edward dryly.

During the exchange Edward had managed to place all the food on a silver tray, a display worthy of a king with stew, warm rolls with butter, dessert and cold milk. "Here make haste if you don't want your master to break something else. Quil I need to stay here and get Billy's lunch ready, do you mind walking Seth back to the room? I'm not sure if he knows the way yet."

"Sure Ed, save me some food, I'll be right back." Seth walked behind Quil who allowed the door to almost slam the tray out of Seth's hands. Thankfully that had happened to him before and he was able to wait until Quil went through and turned around to push the door open using his body. They had not taken ten steps when they encountered Felix and James.

"Is this a fucking relay? Look James, now he changed baby sitter."

"Hey Quil are you just going to take him back without even getting a blow job from the new pup?"

"Dickheads, wasn't it enough that the last time Jake caught you fucking his sub he threw you in the dungeon for a month?" Asked Quil looking at the pair with a mix of disgust and apathy.

"It was worth it, we double teamed that sub like you have no idea." The two friends laughed heartily and high fived each other.

"It was a shame that when we got out Jake had killed him for being a whore." Added James

"At least he gave some of us a few rounds with him before breaking his neck." Teased Quil. Until that moment Seth had been sure Quil was a good guy but listening to him bragging about fucking a sub before he was killed, destroyed any respect Seth may have had for the wolf. Not that it mattered since Seth's opinion didn't count and he would mostly run with the same luck.

"Don't remind us, we even asked him why instead of killing him he didn't give him to us. You know what the big jerk said? That he was not a monster and killing him was more humane."

"Sucks to be you, I guess you can go back to screwing each other."

"We don't screw each other." Exclaimed James indignant.

"Sure, sure, be careful guys don't step on that bullshit. Sub, move; the food is getting cold." He motioned for Seth to follow him and took off down the hallway that lead to the great room.

They walked in silence until they reached the stairs. "What's your name?" Seth remained silent not having been given permission to speak.

"Are you deaf or stupid? I asked you a question." Quil turned slightly to look at Seth who just kept walking silently while moving his head in negation.

"Fuck I always forget I need to give you authorization to speak. Answer me."

"Seth" answered the sub in an almost imperceptible voice.

"Well Seth, what you heard back there is true, try to stir clear of those two at all costs. They will take you without giving it a second thought. If you can't avoid it and they have their way with you, run to the shower in your room or the one in the basement. Get rid of their scent the best you can. That may prolong your life a little bit." Seth nodded in appreciation perplexed as to why this wolf who was as cruel as all the others was giving him advice.

In no time they arrived to the master's chambers and Quil opened the door before turning around and walking in the other direction without even taking a glance at him. Seth walked in as quietly as he could placing the tray on the small dining table in the room and proceeding to set the table with the contents from the tray.

"About time you got here! I'm starving. What the hell took you so long?" the question was rhetorical since he didn't expect or cared for an answer. He pranced toward the sub who was kneeling by the wall and scented the air around him trying to detect the scent of any other dominant.

"You managed to get back without getting fucked, impressive. Most subs are nothing but whores, disgusting creatures with no self-control. Just know that the day I detect the scent of another dominant on you will be the last day of your miserable existence." Seth had to laugh internally at the absurdity of his master's words. He would be killed if found to have been attacked by any other dominant. Like he had a choice, it was not like he could just say no. If he even tried to refuse he would be killed, it was a lose-lose situation for him. Any way he looked at it he would end up getting killed.

Jacob sat down to enjoy his lunch without a care in world. "Give me your bowl, dog"

With his mouth full he turned on his chair to look at the slave who knelt behind him nervously pressing the palm of his hands to his thighs. "You don't have a bowl, what did you expect, to eat from my plate? Fuck you, stay hungry for all I care."

Seth made a mental note to ask Edward for a bowl when he went to return the tray. At least he had remembered to feed him, but it was most unfortunate he couldn't do It, because the food smelled mouthwatering delicious. Just like he did at breakfast he ate every crumb in front of him. Seth hoped that at least a few particles of food would fall on the floor from where he could eat them when his master wasn't looking. No such luck as Jake didn't waste one bit of food.

"Come to bed." Seth removed his clothes before he was subjected to his master's desires once more.

The afternoon passed in the same fashion as the morning with Seth keeping himself busy making sure the room was spotless. He was counting the minutes until dinner time; the water he had been drinking to keep the hunger pains at bay wasn't doing much for him. Luckily dinner was less than an hour away. He discreetly followed his master's movement within the room as he went in the bathroom only to emerge with a button up shirt instead of the t-shirt he had been wearing until that moment.

"On Wednesdays I have dinner with my father, come here so I can chain you before I leave." The chain clicked and Jacob exited the room. As soon as his master left Seth collapsed on the floor bringing his knees to his chest and crying quietly. He couldn't remember if he had ever been so hungry before. The idea of going to sleep on an empty stomach once more made him silently wish for the next morning to find him dead.

Several hours later Jacob came in the room making Seth get up and on his knees. The master unlocked his slave's chain and took him to bed where he fucked him twice before calling it a night. The next morning the same routine as the day before was repeated with the only difference being that while getting out of the shower Seth felt so lightheaded he fell on his knees hitting the cold floor hard. After gathering himself he walked out of the bathroom making an effort to steady himself before his master would notice. Luckily for him Jacob didn't notice, but what was not lucky at all was that he ate all his breakfast without even noticing his slave as he knelt behind him holding his bowl with his shaking hands.

At lunchtime they had a surprise visit by an older man. Even though he looked to be in his twenties he had a dignified appearance that made him look older. Jacob brought his eyes up from his food to greet the newcomer. "Hello father and to what do I owe this honor?" Asked Jacob sincerely and visibly happy.

"Well I wanted to check the merchandise I paid so much money for." Said Billy looking at Seth with a kind expression on his face.

"He is not the worse you ever bought, he is not the best either. At least he has been well trained."

"Hopefully he will last longer than the last few you had."

"Those were imbeciles father, they were either sick whores or wimpy babies that cried about everything." At the worst possible moment Seth's body betrayed him, he squeezed his eyes shut trying to make the room stop spinning but to no avail. He felt as his body began to sway unable to control it. He panicked _oh God please no, not now _he prayed silently as the room got darker and darker.

"Son, he looks sick"

"He was fine a minute ago." Answered Jake without even bothering to look back.

"No son, he looks like he is going to pass out. Did you feed him?"

"Hahaha I guess I forgot." Jacob's laughter was filled with contempt towards the sub and nerves for being caught.

"Damn it son, these things are harder to come by every day. You have no idea how much money I had to pay for him. At least make an effort to take care of it. I swear one of these days I'll get tired of indulging you. When that happens your only options will be to find yourself a mate or pay for the slaves yourself. That is if you can even find one to buy, in case you haven't heard there is a shortage of subs."

"But dad…" No trace of his usual arrogance in Jake's voice or demeanor.

"I don't want to hear it!"

"Do you give this much shit to Carlos and Sam?"

"That's beside the point; don't try to take blame off you. You are not the victim here; the only victim is this unfortunate creature who was cursed with the devil's own luck. The fact is that I'm a businessman and your irresponsibility is not good for business."

"But I'm not one of your businesses I'm your son."

"You don't really want me to tell you my opinion of you right now."

"Yes I do" Challenged Jacob.

"Son I will never understand your sick obsession with the submissives. It's demeaning and disgusting. In all aspects of your life you are the perfect son, loving, hardworking and respectful. Unfortunately right now I cannot even think about any of the many good characteristics you have and all because I'm asking myself where I went wrong. What did I do to make you into the vile cruel creature in front of me right now?" At these hard words Jacob rubbed his eyes in disbelief; his expression was one of dull emptiness that tried to mask the heavy emotions that his father's harsh words provoked in him.

"How can you bear to live with yourself knowing you are starving another living creature to death?" Billy shook in anger as he took the rest of his son's sandwich and slammed against Seth's hands.

"Eat!" Seth's hands shook as he held the half eaten sandwich. He was between a rock and a hard place, if he obeyed Billy, Jacob would be pissed. If he ignored Billy and remained true to his master, Billy would be pissed. He had no way of winning this one but of one thing he was certain, he was starving and if either decision could grant him punishment at least he will be punished on a full stomach. He took one bite feeling a sharp cold pain in his jaw as he began to chew. He swallowed loudly before taking another bite and another until the food disappeared.

"Now son, I know that as soon as I leave this room you will punish him for eating the food I gave him."

"You bet father, his allegiance is with me, I'm his master, not you." Answered Jacob his anger almost to the point of no return.

"The only reason you are his master is because I say you are. I travelled south to the auctions, I paid for him, it's my signature on his papers. Me, me, me only me, not you! His main allegiance is with me, you just benefit from him. Get it in your thick head and know that if you kill this one I'm not buying you another one. I'll not keep buying you toys if you are not going to take care of them. Understood?"

"Yes father." Grumbled Jake as his father exited the room; he knew his father was not one to cast empty threats. Billy meant every word he said, every humiliating painful word that escaped his mouth was true.

"Idiot! You did this on purpose, you had to go and make a spectacle of yourself in front of my father. Thanks to you my father lost the little respect he had for me." Without another word Jake's fist collided with Seth's abdomen making him wince in pain. He continued punishing his stomach until all the recently eaten food came back out all over the floor.

"Now since you were so eager to obey somebody who was not your master you will get to enjoy your lunch again. Eat, you wanted food go ahead I want this floor to shine." Jake's pushed the sub's head against the door his nose breaking as it made contact with the tile. Seth slowly ate the pre-digested food while struggling to breathe through his bleeding schnoz.

"Now strip" The sub removed all his clothes, his heart skipped a beat when he saw his master walk toward him holding a thick leather belt. He knew what was coming. Before he could even mentally prepare himself he felt the stinging pain of the first strike. Each following one worse than the previous one. Jacob hit him with all his might until Seth's copper skin was covered in welts and painful red marks.

"That will show you, bitch."


	4. Chapter 4

**I received some questions that made me think some details may not be as clear as I would like them to be. In this story all the characters are wolves, there are no vampires. After the war all the vampires moved to Europe, Asia and Africa. They cannot come to America since that will be a breach on the new treaty and therefore, an act of war. All the names associated with the Twilight series that you will read here are wolves.**

**A big thank you for all the alerts, favorite and especially for all the reviews. Please feel free to contact me with any questions; I love to hear from you. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 4**

If anything good came out of Billy's visit to his master's room, it was that Jake never forgot to feed him from then on, not large amounts of food, just enough to keep him from getting sick. What didn't change was the frequency and intensity of his punishment. His master would find the smallest reason to punish him; sometimes he had no reason except the twisted need to hurt what he considered his property.

The sex was still brutal and vicious. Each time exploring and satisfying his master's deepest darkest desires. It was like Jacob had no compassion and humanity left in his cold heart. More than once Seth had wondered the reasons behind his master's cruelty. All he knew so far was that Jacob had horrible nightmares that left him shaken and tearful.

After two weeks under his new master, Seth could already read his intentions the minute he walked in the room. He could see the tension on his shoulders and the exhausted appearance of his otherwise young and handsome face. Seth pondered what could be troubling his master so much. Not that he cared much, after all, he was a monster, but his moods determined the brutality of his attacks and that directly affected the sub.

Seth was convinced there was something seriously wrong with himself; maybe he was as stupid as his master told him every chance he had, but he just couldn't bring himself to hate his dominant. His master inspired in him fear and _pity_. The sub knew he must be demented, how could he feel sorry for the one person in the world that subjected him to the most humiliating and painful experiences of his life. He had two other masters but not even the first one who almost killed him in several occasions had been so cruel. It was true what Mike said, Jacob Black was the thing nightmares were made of.

The wolves from the whole east coast comprised one pack that was able to communicate using different relay stations up and down the coast all the way to the boundary line with the territories of the west. Each satellite pack had an alpha who determined the hierarchy within his pack. As expected, there were no female alphas seeing that they were protected by their individual packs to the point of giving their lives to protect their females. From the moment a girl was born her father and every member of the pack he belonged to swore to protect and love her to the point of adoration. The alphas from each satellite pack respected Billy Black as their _Aleph_, the Alpha among Alphas. Billy delegated many responsibilities on his son who was an Alpha himself. Even with the obvious discomfort created by their similar status they had developed a somewhat troubled but trusting and respectful relationship.

The sub found very interesting his master's behavior with his pack brothers. The fact that surprised him the most was that it was not a big pack. He would expect the son of the _Aleph _to have a big powerful pack but that was far from the truth. Seth gathered from the weekly meetings that took place in his master's office that Paul was his beta; the others were Quil, Alec, Collin and Harry. Carlos was supposed to be part of the pack but didn't even bother to show up to the meetings, probably too busy torturing Mike. Seth heard the name Carlisle several times and gathered he was some type of doctor and at the same time Billy's counsel. Jacob trusted him with his life and held him in high regard.

When his master was surrounded by his pack he was just another kid. The cruel son of a bitch Seth was used to deal with completely disappeared, leaving in his place a friendly but guarded pup. Not even when he was having a good time with his friends would Jacob let his guard down, always managing to keep his authority and barely concealed arrogance. His pack responded appropriately, making jokes but always keeping a certain distance.

Of all the wolves, Jacob or Jake as they usually addressed him, got along the best with Paul and Quil. Seth still couldn't put his finger on what Quil was all about. He was definitely a strange individual; he could make cruel jokes, usually directed at the sub, like the best of them. But there was something odd about him, a deep seated sadness that he couldn't decipher. Alec had been the most vocal about his desire to have Seth under him, Jacob only responded by slapping him on the side of his head and calling him an idiot. Of course he followed this by warning each one of them to stay away from his sub. No matter how appetizing he smelled they were not to take him in any way.

Paul was the only one who never expressed anything but disgust directed at the sub. He had been granted the right to claim a female after saving Jacob's life during an ambush. He was able to woo Emily Young and together they had a beautiful daughter they named Sophia. After having his daughter he climbed on the ranks and had a beautiful home, white picket fence and all. As much as the mere presence of the sub bothered him, he never had any interest of even being near Seth. At least Seth knew there were at least three wolves that wouldn't touch him, Billy, Edward and Paul.

The sub's ears perked up the minute he realized somebody had referred to him in the conversation taking place in the office. "So Jake are you sure you want to do that to your sub?" Asked Alec warily.

"Of course I do, did you think I was joking?" Answered Jacob.

"I didn't, is just that…. never mind, when you want to do it? It's been two weeks we all underestimated him. Actually we had a pot going betting on how long he was going to last, nobody won, almost all our bets had him dying last week." Seth felt like somebody poured cold water on his head. He always knew he was worth less than the dirt under their shoes but betting on how soon his dominant would kill him was inhumane. He still had to wonder what it was that made the soldier so wary, what dark awful thing Jake had planned for him.

"I know, he is resilient, I have to give him that" Answered Seth's master. "Alec, get everything ready; I will bring him down myself." Seth wondered where Jacob was going to take him and what were they going to do to him. Dozens of different scenarios came to his mind; most of them included some type of torture. All of them had him suffering to some degree; he knew not to have any hope for anything good since that never happened.

Seth heard as the wolves vacated the room one after the other. He kept cleaning the room pretending he had not heard the exchange that took place just a few minutes earlier. His master's heavy boots echoed on the tile floor as he approached the sub who as soon as he came in the room assumed his usual submissive position.

"Dog, get on the bed, I'll give you the honor of being impaled by my cock." Jacob's tone was as malevolent as ever. Seth did as instructed and in matter of seconds felt the burning pain as his flesh was torn and blood trickled down his legs. His master's release came quick, he seemed hurried for some reason, but the sub wouldn't complain; the quicker it was over, the better.

"Hurry up and get cleaned up, we are going to do something really fun… for me." The sub limped toward the bathroom where he cleaned himself off the best he could. When he walked back in the room his master was already dressed and waiting for him.

"That took you long enough, let's go." He motioned for Seth to follow him through the maze of hallways and stairs. A very distinct stench reached Seth and he knew exactly where he was. The dungeons always smelled like blood, sweat and piss, a true assault on the senses.

They entered the same room where Seth had been taken when he first arrived, only it was unbearably hot. The wood stove was lit, the fire crackling as the logs burned. They had placed a chair near the stove with rope on the floor beside it. "Sub, take off your shirt." Ordered Jacob. Seth did as instructed placing it on the floor. The sub's body grew hotter as the seconds passed, his copper skin getting covered in a thin sheet of sweat with heavy droplets forming on his forehead.

Seth heard Alec gasp loudly at the site of his naked torso, the soldier didn't even try to hide the fact that the sub got him hot and bothered. "Don't get any ideas." Growled his master.

Jacob grabbed Seth roughly by the arm and sat him on the chair. Alec and Harry took the rope and tied his hands and legs to the chair. The rope felt bristly against his skin, so tight it was almost preventing blood flow. This was something completely new for the sub, he had no clue what could be going on in the mind of his master and his pack. "Tie him to the back of the chair as well, I don't want him trashing too much and ruining my masterpiece." Jake chuckled maliciously, while pacing in front of his sub.

"Where are you going to place it?" Asked a wolf Seth assumed was Harry since he didn't exactly recognize the voice.

"I'm not sure… the arm?" Jacob patted the sub's arm feeling the smooth surface of his skin with the pad of his fingers. The instant his fingers came in contact with Seth's skin he felt a surge of energy originating from the point of contact. He couldn't explain it, he had touched his sub many times, the only difference being that he was not hitting or fucking him. The sharp intake of air betrayed him as he acknowledged to himself the softness of the copper skin he was caressing. He glided his fingers over the sub's skin going up toward his shoulder and continuing over the collarbone. The sub's skin burned under the scrutiny of his master, he hated himself for experiencing a certain degree of pleasure under such a dire situation. An evil smirk appeared on Jake's face as his fingers reached Seth's chest, right over his left pec. "Right here." He said pointing to the left side of Seth's chest.

"Jake are you sure? That will hurt like a bitch." Harry's voice sounded slightly worried, Seth doubted it but that was what he gathered from his tone.

"And I should care because…?" Jacob's voice trailed on. Seth felt his blood turn to ice when Harry after retrieving something from the stove turned on his heels holding a red hot piece of metal. The bastards were going to brand him! No, this couldn't be happening. He had been able to avoid this ultimate humiliation until now. What in the name of everything good and decent did he ever do to deserve such cruel fate? Why did this monster feel the need to mark him in such a permanent way?

"Hurry up Harry I have important things to do." Important things? How dare him! Seth felt tears formed in his eyes, flowing freely down his cheeks and landing on the dirty floor. He was not only scared; he felt a huge indignation growing inside him. He willed himself to stop crying, he would not give them the pleasure of seeing his tears. Yes, he was tied to a chair, surrounded by cruel dominants and he was about to be branded just like cattle. But he was not an animal even if they thought he was, he was a man, strong, resilient and determined to show them that he was not entirely powerless. He had no control over what was going to happen, but at least he could control his reactions.

Seth didn't want to go through this; maybe if he made his master angry he would kill him before torturing him. He was giving up, willing to try anything to avoid this new horror. As anger brewed inside him he gathered all his strength to do something he had been programed never to do. "NO!" Screamed the sub to the top of his lungs, he was not pleading, there was nothing weak about it; it was an order. The three dominants in the room stopped in their tracks to stare at the insolent dog. They shook their heads disbelieving what they just heard. A slave dared scream at them. Like there was no tomorrow Jacob rushed toward the sub and backhanded him. Seth's head tilted sideways as he sprayed the floor with blood.

"How dare you scream at me you filthy mutt!?" Spat Jacob getting as close as he could to Seth's face. Feeling daring or maybe just scared into not caring anymore, Seth lifted his face and for the first time since arriving at the manor his eyes connected with those of his master.

Jacob faltered in his intentions for a few seconds. His sub was pleading with his eyes; those beautiful steely pools were filled with fear, his heart filled with sorrow. He could suddenly see and feel all the pain, anguish, sadness and despair that lived inside the soul of his submissive. It was overwhelming, like a cup overflowing with the bitter tears of one whose spirit has been crushed, giving it a mortal wound.

Why did he come to the decision that he needed to brand his sub? The little dog had been the poster child for what a perfect sub was. Jacob would never admit it to his father, but this dog, who he had not even cared to learn his name was the best he ever had. Still, he needed to punish him, the creature in front of him was weak and he was strong. Maybe this decision made him the weak one, he was not strong enough to forgo all the hate and do what he knew was right. But no, weakness had already caused the loss of many lives, even though he only really cared about the most important one. The sub needed to pay. As many times before, he felt disgusted with his actions and disappointed for behaving like a monster once more. His face contorted in pain and he had to turn his face to hide his confusion from his pack.

Harry and Alec exchanged quizzical looks and shrugged their shoulders while Jacob hovered over his sub visually troubled. "Jake, are we doing this or not? It's not like he could escape, you don't have to brand him." Harry secretly wished he wouldn't have to go through this, he had done many shameful things in his life but never something so cowardly, unnecessary and disgraceful. The soldier observed as Seth's face transformed into a painful picture of anguish and hurt that originated deep in his soul. Harry was debating a moral dilemma and looked lost, like a blind man in a cave. The little dog in front of him was burning into his conscience and his soul.

"Are you fucking telling me what to do? Don't question me! Get this over with, it has taken long enough." Bellowed Jacob turning his back towards Seth.

Seth's eyes widened in a panic when the soldier glided toward him standing in front of him holding the glowing piece of metal. Is one thing to call the devil, another to see him coming. Seth felt pure fear, he felt as his gut twisted in a painful manner and a cold shiver that worked itself from his feet up.

"You don't have to do this." Said Seth as calmly as he could under the circumstances. The apple in the soldier's thick neck bobbed as he swallowed loudly. He looked around, hesitating, wondering if he should forget about the whole thing and ask Jake to do his own dirty work or go ahead and follow orders blindly. Harry wouldn't dare to look at the sub's face; he knew that if he did he wouldn't be able to go through with it.

"What are you waiting for!? Do it now!" The order resonated in the whole room and beyond. The command so unavoidable that even if somebody chopped off the soldier's hands he would still find a way to obey.

As Harry closed the distance between the metal and the sub's skin. Seth realized his fate was sealed, there was no escape. He could already feel the heat emanating from the metal. The sub closed his eyes tightly and allowed a whimper to escape his lips for the first time. The three dominants in the room stood motionless. Something so small as the sub's whimper made all three of them hesitate.

Unfortunately the ghost of the alpha order floated in the air, laughing at the poor creature who would become its next victim. "Sorry kid" Whispered the soldier before pressing the red hot metal to Seth's skin and holding it in place while it burned layer after layer of skin. He knew it needed to be deep to leave a noticeable scar.

The instant Seth felt the hot metal touch his skin he let out a bloodcurdling scream. The sound tore through the walls even stronger than Jacob's latest command; it was filled with excruciating pain and despair. It was pure agony, a cruel punishment on an innocent man. He wished he would die from the shock, that death would claim him as its victim. But death never came, instead he was given a world of pain like he had never experienced before. The pain grew in intensity, surging not only on his chest but through his entire body. Seth's throat was hurting from all the screaming but he couldn't make himself stop. Pain was everything; it was all around him, an indescribable cruel entity that burned everything it touched. As the seconds ticked by he felt his senses dulling, leaving only the pain and the stench of burned flesh. It became unbearable, finally his body took pity on him and he blacked out.

Seth woke up in his master's room and for a split second he hoped that his ordeal was over. He looked around trying to figure out if he was on heaven or hell. Unfortunately he was in his own personal hell, his master's room. At least Jake was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, if that was a word he could use to refer to his situation, the chain was not attached to his collar and he could get up. The clock on the bedside table read eight twenty two, he wondered where his master was, that was until he remembered it was Wednesday and Jacob must be having dinner with his father. Seth stood up wobbly and stiff after having been lying down for so long. Based on the time, he figured that he was unconscious for over eight hours; he hoped it would've been a lot longer, like forever.

Walking to the bathroom he felt nauseous and lightheaded when he saw the condition of his skin. The spot where they had burned him was charred black and oozing fluid, the skin around it looked red and swollen. Even after so many hours it still looked raw which attested to the degree of damage done to his skin. He brought his hand to his chest but winced in pain, his skin sensitive to the touch. He was horrified to see the initials JB etched in his skin. For as long as he lived he would have to sport the initials of the biggest mother fucker he had ever had the displeasure to meet, and that was saying something considering all the awful people he had met throughout his life. From his own father, his grade school teacher, the council elders and all the repulsive men that took part in his initiation.

Holding on to the sink he wept bitterly cursing the moment he had been born, wishing he had been human and fell prey to the pandemic. Like many times before, Seth looked at his collar debating whether or not to take matters into his own hands. Why was he so stubborn and insisted on living? It was not worth it, he only knew pain and rejection. His only friend was probably dead and not even his family loved him. He was nothing, just a mangy dog everybody loved to kick. Again he ran out of luck seeing that as he was in the bathroom his master came in the room. Being alerted by the loud thump of his boots as he took them off and threw them on the floor, he washed his face and walked out still considering if he should just phase and get it over with.

"About time you woke up." Exclaimed Jacob from his place on the bed. "Damn I really outdid myself this time; that is one sweet mark on your chest!"

Seth winced internally knowing very well what would happen next, it involved his master's cock, his ass and a world of pain. Hesitantly he kneeled beside the bed waiting for instructions. His master's words took him by surprise. "You are in luck; I got to sow my wild oats with a cute servant from Sam's estate." At the mention of Sam's name Seth's ears perked up and his heart rate accelerated, secretly wishing he could find out anything about Embry.

"What's wrong with you? Your heart took off like a wild bull." Of course the sub couldn't answer since he was not given permission to speak and anyway his master didn't really care. "I got to see Sam's sub, cute little guy with a very sweet ass." Seth's heart constricted inside his chest at the image of his only friend being hurt by his sadistic master, but at least he was still alive. Embry was a fighter, just like him.

"You get the night off. Go to your spot so I can chain you; hurry up I haven't got all night!" Seth rushed to his spot by the wall being followed by his master. Jacob hooked the end of the chain to Seth's collar, turned on his heels and walked towards the bed without saying one more word to the sub.

The next morning followed the usual routine, this time Seth was not as lucky since his master demanded that he get in all fours the moment he opened his eyes. After Jacob had finished his monologue of _so fucking tight _and_ so good _Seth hurried to the bathroom to clean himself up and be back in time to get some breakfast. Seth's heart fell when he realized his master had finished all his breakfast, that meant another missed meal and considering he didn't get lunch or dinner the day before, he was starving. The sub walked as imperceptibly as he could toward his usual spot, gleefully spotting that his bowl had a piece of toast on it. Upon closer inspection he was pleasantly surprised to find in addition to the toast some scrambled eggs and one sausage link. He quickly sat on the floor and basically inhaled his food.

As Seth was swallowing the last bite Quil came in the room, he didn't even hear him knock. Quil's expression was impassive even though the sub noticed how his demeanor changed when he saw Seth's chest which by then sported a reddened scar. It didn't escape him how his fists closed so tight his knuckles looked white.

"Quil I'm glad you are here, take Seth downstairs and keep watch at the door."

"Sure boss." Quil's voice carried so much disdain Seth wondered if his master didn't notice. "Come" Was his one word command.

The sub followed him walking two steps behind until he realized the direction in which they were going. He felt as his whole body came to the point of convulsing in fear. His heart took off in an unbridled race, the palms of his hands becoming sweaty as he closed his fists tightly. They were going to the dungeons, Seth was not willing to go through that hell again, if there was a time in his life he felt sure of something that was it. He stopped in his tracks making Quil turn to look at him.

"Don't be scared I'm just taking you downstairs to phase. I swear Seth, please believe me." Yeah right, the sub trusted Quil like a hole in the head, but something in the soldier's voice made the sub attempt to believe him. For some reason Quil seemed tortured and angry at the same time. Seth hoped that was not the case since in his experience that usually guaranteed a really bad time for him.

"By the way feel free to talk to me; you don't need to wait for my authorization." That was really surprising, first Edward now Quil. What was it with the wolves in this house? They all seemed so sketchy. "I couldn't believe it when Harry told me he had branded you. He is getting worse every day." Grumbled Quil under his breath. Seth remained quiet; if this was a trap to get him to talk crap about his master he would not give them the pleasure.

"I know you won't talk about him, I wouldn't either, just know that not everybody in this house agrees with the way he treats subs." They walked in silence until they reached the dungeons, standing in front of a different door from the day before, Quil turned to talk to Seth. "Michael is in there, you have one hour. I'll be out here, if you need anything just ask."

Quil ushered Seth inside the dungeon where a dark grey wolf was pacing from side to side in the limited space. He removed his pants, since he still couldn't wear shirts seeing that his burn was still very sensitive. Allowing all the anger and frustration to course through him, in a heartbeat he was transformed into the sandy wolf.

"_What the fuck is that on your chest" _Asked Michael without even saying hello.

"_What do you think? My master branded me." _Scoffed Seth

"_Damn and I thought mine was bad. Well he is… these men are so cruel. Seth I don't know how much more of this I can take." _Through their mind link Seth could sense the hopelessness and despair Mike was feeling. It mirrored his emotions perfectly. Life had been so unfair to them, they had been cursed and he wondered what sin was committed by his ancestors that granted them such harsh punishment.

"_You are preaching to the choir; never before I contemplated killing myself as often as I have here." _Answered Seth in the same downhearted tone.

"_Me too but I'm too stubborn to give up. Maybe I'm just stupid." _Mike was determined to survive this trial. He would not give the dominants the pleasure of seeing him die.

"_How does this Carlos treat you? At least he is not Jacob."_

"_Are you kidding me? He may not be a Black but he is just as awful. The first week here it was not enough that he raped me like five times a day, he invited others to sample me." _Seth could see image after image of all the men that had ventured into Carlos room just to abuse Mike and unconsciously thanked his lucky star he was not with him.

"_Well at least Jacob does not share his subs." _Whispered Seth to himself.

"_I know, I heard Carlos talking to dumb and dumber, they mentioned that."_

"_Dumb and dumber? By any chance are their names Felix and James?" _Seth remembered his first encounter with those assholes and the threat they presented.

"_You know them too? Did they…." _Mike not only felt miserable, he felt disgusted at all the atrocities he had gone through.

"_They haven't, at least not yet, but I'm afraid that is in my future." _Seth had no hope of escaping the claws of those two dim-witted dicks.

"_Those two hurt me so bad I couldn't walk until the next day. At least Jacob doesn't let others touch you."_

"_He doesn't but that means squat seeing that he does pretty good job on his own. Black is a sick fuck."_

"_Have you heard anything about Embry?" Asked Mike. _

Seth was worried for his only friend, he knew he was alive but craved his company like an addict craved a drug. In just the two days they traveled together they created a strong bond that could withstand the challenges of this forbidding life.

"_Nope, just my master saying that he has a sweet ass. I can only imagine how he knows that. Mike I'm so tired, I've been living this nightmare far too long. I Even screamed at my master yesterday trying to get him to kill me. I'm too much of a chicken shit to do it myself."_

"_Seth don't give up even if it's only so Carlos won't share me with Black too."_

"_Don't worry Mike I'll hold on as long as my body allows."_

Seth's sandy wolf plopped itself beside Michael's grey one, his head resting on his front paws. He nuzzled Mike slightly pressing his cheek against his. They sat there in silence not even daring to think. They had no control over their lives but of one thing they were certain. The nightmare will not last much longer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to all of you who favorite and alerted the story. I want to especially thank all the wonderful reviewers, your words of encouragement and the feedback you offer gives me energy to do my best. **

**Disclaimer 1: I do not own Twilight**

**Disclaimer 2: Please be warned that this work will include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form. This is a fictional work with fictional characters and I present it as such. **

**Chapter 5**

_Why am I still alive? _Pondered Seth as he examined his most recent bruises. Two months passed and to everybody's surprise he was still around. It was not like Jacob was treating him well, far from it. His punishments were unfair and unreasonable. The sub hissed as the pain from his cracked rib reminded him of his last ordeal. He had done everything he was asked to do in bed, as painful as it was he took it without complaining even once.

Seth bit his bottom lip as a habit, he always did that when he was deep in thought, unfortunately in this occasion the pain woke him up from his stupor. Just like his rib his lip was split open and a purple/black bruise adorned the left side of his face, and all this for the terrible infraction of trying to kiss his master. Jacob had ordered Seth to pretend he was enjoying sex, in an attempt to please his master he tried to kiss him. His master responded by ramming his fist on his face and kicking him as hard as he could, Seth was launched from the bed ending up on the hard floor.

He remembered Jacob's words, each one of those painful reminders of what the sub was, a piece of shit on the sidewalk. _Don't ever try that again, are you listening dog? Your disgusting mouth must never touch my lips. You have sucked more cock than a sloppy crack whore. If you pull that move again I'll be very, very tempted to rip your fucking lips from your face. I mean it; you're a fucking disgusting ugly piece of trash... _He went on and on with the insults until he ran out of things to say. Seth had to stay impassive on the floor in his submissive position while holding on to his side which was throbbing with what he knew was a broken rib.

Jacob got dressed but before leaving the room he ordered Seth to clean his office. Seth started cleaning his master's office diligently and with attention to every small detail. He dusted every bookshelf admiring and longing to read any of those books. It had been so long since he had been allowed to read and unfortunately he will likely never read again. He thought that maybe in heaven he will be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading. He took every book out, caressing the cover like it was a sacred stone only to place it back on the exact same spot.

If there was one thing Jacob hated with a passion was for people to move his things, he liked to find everything in the same spot where he left it. After finishing the bookshelves Seth stood beside his master's desk trying to figure out what to do. It was not exceedingly messy, a couple of picture frames, several folders and a small mountain of papers. The sub decided to clean the desk little by little placing each item in exactly the same spot. The first frame had a picture of a woman that had a striking resemblance to Jacob. Her skin was the same stunning honeyed color, her eyes had spark and a hint of unholy mischief. Her lips were a shade darker than her skin and just like his master were full but not trout like. Seth could only imagine how his master's lips tasted, how soft they would feel against his own. Lately his fantasies had changed, now they contained dreams and secret desires for his master. He was well aware that this was really messed up but it didn't matter, apparently Seth was a sick fuck, or at least that was what his master thought of him. Maybe he was a masochist, even though it was not like he could get off on his master's attacks or that he enjoyed them, actually it was the opposite, he had forgotten when he had his last orgasm. What he did admit was that he couldn't hate him. He hated his actions, his lack of compassion, his aggression and his hate; but he couldn't bring himself to hate the man.

His eyes drifted back to the picture, after examining it for a minute he assumed she was his mom and placed it back in the same spot he took it from. The second frame contained a picture of Billy, Jacob's mom and a little boy who Seth assumed was his master. The little boy had the most adorable happy expression, his innocence not yet soiled by the cruelty of the world. Seth wondered what happened to that little boy, what made him the man he was. It must have been a horror of death to transform a gentle creature into a heartless monster.

It took Seth over an hour to clean the desk, at the end everything looked the same but clean. At last the hardest chores were done and he could go back to his usual routine which he had neglected because of his master's order. Busy with his latest task, Seth had forgotten to eat and his stomach complained loudly. He went to his bathroom where he had been able to hide a piece of bread and a slice of ham from breakfast. After many days spent hungry he learned to ration his food, hiding it in his bathroom. Seth sat on the cold tile and retrieved the food from his hiding place. He ate quietly and slowly downing the food with big gulps of water to make every bite count, this was a way to trick himself into thinking he had consumed the appropriate amount of nourishment.

As on cue when he finished washing his hands he heard the door open and two sets of heavy steps resonated in the room. He rushed to his place beside his chain waiting to respond to his master's wishes.

"What the fuck!" Seth's heart accelerated and his blood ran fast and hot in his veins when the angry voice of his master reached his ears. He prayed that his master's anger would not be directed at him or that he would have to pay for whatever was going on.

"Jake what's wrong?" The voice was completely new to Seth. The man had a slight southern drawl and his tone was peaceful and calm.

"That fucking lazy bum good for nothing bitch…" Jacob's engaged in a short monologue that managed to include every bad word known to man and a few that he probably invented.

"Dog, come here now!" Bellowed Jacob. Seth had to force himself and make his legs move; it was like they were made of lead. He was deadly afraid of his master's wrath especially considering he had no clue as to what was going on.

Seth walked in the office his eyes downcast but still able to see the irate face of his master. His expression was dark and threatening. His nostrils flared, eyes reduced to slits, jaw clenched and his mouth quivering with the anger that was boiling inside him, locking away any good feeling he ever had. He looked like a very tortured, mentally unstable soul.

"I believe I told you to clean my office." Growled Jacob, his voice seething with anger.

The sub couldn't respond, unable to speak without authorization Seth just nodded. "Speak!" Ordered Jacob.

"I cleaned it master" Whispered Seth.

In one stride Jacob was standing in front of his sub and slapped him hard across the face. "Liar!" Screamed Jacob painfully loud. He grabbed Seth's arm so hard the sub feared he would crush the bone with his bare hands. Roughly pulling Seth toward the desk Jacob pushed the sub's head down until it was just inches from the surface of the desk. "Does this look clean to you? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Jake…" The man who Seth had never seen before tried to intervene only to receive a growl from his master.

"If this idiot thinks he can get away with disobeying my orders he has another thing coming." Growled Jacob under his breath. Seth's whole body shook as fear spewed from each one of his pores. He noticed as his master was looking around his desk, his lips quirked upwards to form a malicious smile. In an instant, before Seth could even think of what was going to happen Jacob slapped Seth's hand flat on the desk and with a marble paperweight smashed the sub's middle and ring finger. Seth heard the bones breaking a fraction of a second before he felt the pain, which was extreme to say the least.

Cradling his shattered fingers to his chest the sub sunk down to the floor. Not one sound escaped his lips, it couldn't, Seth couldn't breathe, the pain so intense it affected his ability to move air in and out of his body. As soon as he could inhale enough air a painful sob broke out of him. A stream of pitiful tears rolling down his face. Seth felt the cold sharp pain shooting up his arm, the nausea taking over. He felt color leave his face as he fought the nausea, not wanting to add fuel to his master's fire.

_Why? Why? Why? Why? _Seth asked himself the same question over and over again. He wouldn't dare muster it out loud and he couldn't conjure any other thought. He did the best he could and still it was not good enough, it was not fair. Then again, life was not fair to him. He didn't want to be a baby and complain with the _why me? _But it was becoming much more than his tortured body could handle. His spirit was being crushed to the point of being broken beyond repair. For the first time in his life he was lost and risking becoming hopeless.

"Jake!" The man who Seth had never seen screamed at the master as soon as his shock wore off.

"Carlisle shut it!" Spat Jacob.

"No I won't! What's wrong with you?"

"This mother fucker is, I have been too lenient with this dog and he is taking advantage of that." Lenient? Jacob Black lenient? Those were words that could never be together in a sentence. If up to that point Seth's master had been lenient, how was it going to be when he wasn't?

"Jacob Ephraim Black if you instead of jumping the gun took a minute too look beyond the reach of your nose you would see this desk is spotless. It probably took him forever to clean everything and put it on the same spot so you wouldn't complain of him moving your things." Carlisle spoke a thousand words per minute, indignation, anger and pity getting the best of him. He had known Jacob since he was a little boy and saw his transformation from a happy go lucky kid whose smile and laugh were infectious to the bitter, cruel man in front of him.

Jacob didn't respond he just looked from Carlisle to the desk with a confused expression on his face. He took one item and ran his fingers over the polished surface, he couldn't see any dust. He repeated the same action several times on different spots with the same result.

Seth remained on the floor suffering in silence the latest injustice. His cry was barely a whisper, like a ghost that's lost its way unable to find peace even in death. As tears rolled down his face they ended up on his swollen and throbbing hand which he held close to his chest. He was making an inhumane effort to not allow a full torrent of painful sobs to escape his lips. For some stupid reason he was still clinging on to life or maybe it was ingrained in his psyche that no matter what, he must not aggravate his master.

Carlisle approached the sub kneeling in front of him and motioning to grab his swollen appendage. Seth panicked knowing very well he would not be able to endure any more pain, as it was he was reaching his limit. "Please sir… no more" the subs words contained defiance since he was not given permission to speak, but at that moment Carlisle didn't care about that. All he saw was a broken creature, the remnants of what could have been a man filled with possibilities, love and hope. Instead fate handed him a conviction without crime, a punishment without fault. He was a stickler for the rules and known to have taken a sub on more than one occasion but he would never hurt them. He pitied these sad animals sent to the earth to suffer.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a doctor. Can I take a look at your hand?" His voice was soft and amazingly soothing. His gentle approach helped Seth calm down a little and stop the destructive monologue that until that moment was going on in his head.

"Carlisle, what the hell are you doing?" Asked Jacob.

"What do you think I am doing? I'm going to check his hand."

"Why? He is just a dog"

"Maybe he is, but I would check a dog's paw if I saw it limping. I would do a lot more for a man."

"Do whatever you want; you can count this as your good deed of the day." Jacob went around his desk and started looking at some of the papers on it.

"Let me see." Commanded Carlisle, his voice dripping with such authority Seth had no choice but obey. He extended his hand which had a purple bruise that comprised most of the back of his hand. His broken fingers laid twisted in an unnatural position. Carlisle carefully examined Seth's digits while trying to sooth him. It was the first time in only God knew how long that a dominant had touched the sub in a gentle compassionate way.

"I think it's a simple fracture but I may be mistaken, without an x-ray is hard to tell. I do know that I need to realign the bones before I immobilize them. I'm not going to lie to you sub, this will hurt but I'll work as fast as I can." The sub nodded in understanding and acceptance.

"Jacob, make yourself useful and come here, I need your help."

"I'm not helping you, if you insist on being a Good Samaritan you can manage by yourself."

"Jake you can be such a jackass sometimes, come here! Unless you want me to go find somebody in the house to help me… maybe your father."

"That's a cheap shot, ok ok, keep your panties on; I'll help you." Jake kneeled beside his sub who immediately tensed because of the proximity of his dominant. "What do you want me to do?"

"I have to reduce the fracture; I cannot have him squirming around. What I need you to do is put your arms around him making sure to hold his other hand and keep him still while I work." Explained Carlisle.

"Whatever, let's get this over with." Answered Jacob dismissively. He slid closer to the sub and placed one of his long legs over Seth's legs and the other around his back. Being so close to his little dog he could almost smell the fear emanating through each one of his pores. It was intoxicating and exhilarating. Jacob had become addicted to power and believed that instilling fear in others made him even more powerful.

"You may want to look the other way kid." Instructed Carlisle as he readied himself to pull the bones into place. Seth couldn't look the other way, if he did he would be faced with his dominant up close and personal, something way scarier than what the doctor was about to do.

Without any notice Carlisle took Seth's middle finger and pulled hard aligning the portions of bone. Seth tried to remain quiet but the pain was too overwhelming and he let out an unearthly scream that made Jacob tighten his grip around him and his heart race.

"That one is done; I'll give you a minute to recover before the other one." Seth just nodded while heavy tears formed an incessant torrent down his face ending up on his shirt.

"Jacob I hope you are happy; this is all your fault. He did nothing wrong and you still punished him. You shot and then stopped to ask questions. You… you should be ashamed of yourself, I know I am and so is your father." At this words Jacob felt his jaw tense as the pain of being a total disappointment resurfaced.

Whether it was Carlisle painful words with all the shameful truth that was imbedded on them or the harrowing sobs being produced by his sub, something in Jacob tried to come to life. Something that had been hidden under a blanket of hate, regret and guilt. Years ago he had taken his compassion and locked it in a box, threw away the key and burrowed it in the deepest recesses of his soul. In that instant it sputtered, like a motor trying to come to life. Unfortunately there was no fuel in that motor and it remained hidden and turned off even though it was not completely extinguished. Jacob looked away willing and daring his tears to stay where they were, he would not have this filthy dog see him cry.

"Kid, let's do the other one, then the hard part will be over, all that will be left is placing the splint and taping your fingers together. And Jacob he will not be able to use that hand for at least two days." Jacob remained quiet deeply troubled for reasons that he didn't want to acknowledge. Seth cowered back unconsciously trying to get away from the doctor. Using brute strength his master held him in place, his hands shaking from the deep emotions that were stirring inside him.

Doing something unexpected he removed the hand that was holding Seth's good hand and gently moved the sub's face so it was hidden on the crook of his neck. Jacob felt a strange sensation when the warm breath of his submissive fanned over his skin. The sub relaxed after a minute and he moved his hand back to hold Seth's hand once more and nodded to Carlisle to continue.

Once more the doctor painfully adjusted Seth's fingers. This time the sub screamed against the skin of his master's neck, his agonizing tears falling on his master's shirt. "Jake I have to go to my office to get the materials I need; I'll be back in five minutes." Jacob observed as the doctor placed Seth's hand on a heavy book and ordered him not to move it.

After Carlisle left, Jake and Seth stayed in the same position, neither one of them daring to move a centimeter. Seth crying quietly on his master's tight hold and Jacob lost in thought. "They are right; she would've been so disappointed in me…" Seth realized his master was thinking out loud and didn't acknowledge his words. Instead basked in his scent and the rhythmic beating of his heart, in all the years he had been a sub there had only been a handful of times in which he could feel this closeness to another human being, even if that being was a heartless monster with total disregard for his feelings or well-being.

Upon Carlisle return Jacob stood up and without saying a word left the room. The doctor got busy making sure Seth couldn't move his fingers. "He was not always like this; life has changed him so much. A person in your position must think 'boo hoo how bad could life be for a rich dominant', but there is a lot more under the surface that the eye can't see. Do you realize this has been the first time in many _many_ years I've seen him be humane to a sub? Of course that was after breaking your fingers, I'll give you that. But trust me I've seen him do worse things without even batting an eye." Seth listened quietly trying to picture the happy child from the picture and not the monster he faced every single day.

It had been one month since the incident, Seth's fingers were healed and regardless of what Carlisle said, Jacob was indeed a monster. He stood by the window looking out onto a world he would never see, a world where he would never get to walk free. He observed the colorful blanket of leaves that covered parts of the yard and a flock of geese going south. It was a beautiful fall day with a perfect blue sky and puffy white clouds moving rapidly across the sky.

There was a lot of commotion in the house as the preparations for the festivities took place. Billy's birthday was always a big deal and something celebrated by everybody in the house and nearby areas. When his master informed Seth he was going to be allowed to go to the party he was both surprised and excited. He tried to find his best clothes which were the ones with the least amount of holes and rips. After hurrying to do his chores he stood by the window waiting for his master to come get him. What excited him the most was the possibility of seeing Embry, he was able to put together from different conversations that Sam would be present and since Billy requested everybody's presence, including the subs, Embry was bound to come with him.

Seth squinted his eyes trying to see the faces of the people arriving at the party, but Embry was nowhere in sight. After an hour he heard the door open and his master's footsteps, assuming his position he waited for a word from him. "Dog listen to me, I'm only going to say this once. The only reason I'm letting people see you with me is because of my father's request. Don't think I have any desire to be in your company when I'm around my friends. You will stay beside me, only moving when I tell you to get me something. You're a dog, when I tell you fetch you move, not before not after. There will be no talking, eating or drinking. If somebody gives you something you will hand it over to me for approval. I swear to you that if you are not on your best behavior the shiner you are sporting right now will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you. Are we clear?"

The sub nodded affirmatively. "Where are my clothes?" Seth waited for permission to speak while his master looked around impatiently. "Damn it, I'm so tired of this shit. You know what? When I ask you something answer immediately, do not wait for authorization. But only to answer questions. Nobody is interested in having a conversation with you."

"They are in your dressing room master." Said Seth in an almost unperceptively voice.

"What are?" Asked Jacob distracted.

"Your clothes master." Seth had ironed a nice button up shirt for his master in a shade of blue that complimented his skin color beautifully. Of course he would wear it with a nice pair of short cargo pants seeing that even with the cooler temperatures it was still too hot form him to wear anything else.

"Come give me a quick blow job before I shower, damn it just a whiff of your scent makes me so fucking horny." Seth did as instructed, making his master empty himself in his mouth with a loud groan.

Seth followed Jacob out of the room realizing this was the first time he had walked anywhere with him. The vast hallways seemed smaller with his master's massive form occupying part of it. The sub never felt smaller than when he was next to his master. Not only his master belittled him every chance he had but Seth barely reached his upper chest. In no time they walked past the pool to meet the other guests, it was a vast area with gardens, shade trees and green grass. To the left Seth could see several tables with fruit, appetizers and pastries.

Seth's first order of business was scanning the area looking for his friend. Unfortunately between Seth's short stature and the number of people that showed up for the party this was no easy task. His master slapped the back of his head hard to get his attention and pulled him toward his father who sat comfortably on a lawn chair surrounded by several men Seth didn't recognize.

"Son glad you could join us, I was getting worried."

"C'mon dad I wouldn't miss it for the world. I had to do some work this morning but I'm here now."

"That you are, pull a chair sit with us." Jacob ordered Seth to bring a chair so he could sit next to his father. Seth sat on the floor next to him, making an effort not to lift his gaze so there wouldn't be any misunderstandings. He was itching to look around to try and find Embry but knew he couldn't, it was going to be a long afternoon.

After a while Seth relaxed enough and allowed himself to look around the vast yard. At a short distance he could see Quil, Alec and the others from his master's pack. Paul was in the company of a beautiful woman with long raven hair, a little girl clung to her mother's skirt probably overwhelmed with the crowd. Seth felt his heart painfully constrict inside his chest. Paul had what he always dreamt of having, a family of his own. Many people dream of power and riches, not Seth, he didn't care for any of that. His dreams consisted on loving and being loved, of having a little child call him daddy and blow raspberries on his cheek.

Most guests approached Billy to wish him a happy birthday, he answered gleefully to all the well wishes. Seth could sense his master's discomfort; he was not one to enjoy social functions and preferred quiet intimate gatherings. On several occasions his master asked him to bring him and his father drinks and food but never gave his authorization for Seth to enjoy anything himself. The party was in full swing with many distinct conversations going on around him. Most of them consisted of comments about the crops or the production of energy. Not even on his birthday Billy was allowed to let his hair down and enjoy himself.

Seth had to lift his eyes when he noticed a shadow covering him after blocking the rays of the sun. In front of him was a man almost as tall as his master, with broad shoulders and a cruel face. He had no idea who this person was until he saw the small figure next to him. His heart jumped to his throat when he got a sight of Embry. He looked thinner and just like Seth sported several bruises on his face, but when their eyes connected he could feel himself smiling. Embry gave him a minute smile of his own before his master walked away to sit to the opposite side of Jacob.

They were so close and still couldn't even say hello, at least he knew Embry was still alive. Just like Seth he had survived longer than most subs survived especially taken into account the brutality that characterized Uley and Black. After several more food and drinks runs Sam and Jacob got up and joined some of the others in the middle of the yard. They were going to have a friendly game of soccer seeing that it was Billy's favorite sport. From what Seth gathered there were two teams one commanded by his master and the other one by Carlos who he knew was Mike's dominant.

Seth moved slightly on his spot to try and see Mike's and Embry's location. Embry was really close just few yards away while Mike was quite farther to the right. The game started and it promised to be quite a spectacle. Nobody was holding back as they maneuvered the ball with the skill of professional players. Billy seemed delighted and cheered his son with pride and excitement. Seth got involved in the game especially since he had never really had the chance to watch any kind of sport from so close.

After the first half was over his master came to sit beside him, without being asked to Seth hurried to grab cold lemonade and water for his master. Jacob accepted the water and told Seth to drink the lemonade himself. His master must be in a good mood, under different circumstance he would just take what he wanted and spill the rest on the floor; then again maybe it was the fact that he was next to his father. Regardless of his motivation Seth was grateful for getting something to quench his thirst.

The second half rolled in with Jacob's team winning four to three. Both teams were lucky there were no referees seeing that neither was obeying any rules. Carlos looked beyond pissed as he pummeled on Jake and the other members of his team. At the end Jacob's team obliterated Carlos team six to three after a fantastic strategy paid off for the winning team.

After the game was over Carlos wouldn't even shake Jacob's hand and turning his back to him walked in the opposite direction. Not one to be shy with words Jake called him a dick and walked back to his spot by his father, who stood up to congratulate his son. Seth looked in the direction where Carlos headed to only see him backhand Mike the second he got close to him. He had to close his eyes as the feeling of impotence and injustice encompassed him. The sub opened them when he felt everybody around him grow eerily quiet. Seth scanned the area trying to figure out the reason for the change of pace. That's when he saw it; Mike was walking backwards away from his master in the direction of the field where the game just took place.

Seth looked on Embry's direction who looked just as stumped as he was. What could possess Mike to do something so crazy; he was going to be unbearably punished for such an act of utter defiance. The sub could hear how Carlos ordered Mike to go to their room and wait for him. But Mike didn't budge, was he going to be so stupid as to try to make a run for it when he was surrounded by dominants? None of the scene unfolding in front of Seth made sense. He wished he could telepathically communicate with Mike to tell him to stop being an idiot and do as he was being told and maybe his master would have mercy on him.

Mike looked disturbed, agitated and scared. His chest raising and falling rapidly and his eyes about to bulge out of his face. Then it hit him, Seth knew what was in Mike's mind. It was a desperate act committed by a hopeless man. The sub shook his head in disbelief, Mike had endured so much, yes he did say he was reaching his limit but he could make it, this was not the way out. Then again it was, maybe he had the right idea after all and Seth should just join him and go out with a bang.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Mike's eyes connected with Seth's an instant before the shift began. Seth jumped to his feet and yelled at him to stop but everything had been set in motion and there was no going back. In the blink of an eye Mike exploded into the dark grey wolf, his neck temporarily constricted by the collar around his neck before his neck snapped and his head rolled in Seth's direction. The wide eyed wolf's head came to rest in front of Billy who covered his eyes, not in fear but in shame and disbelief. The wolf's dead eyes accusing all those who had tortured him and cursing them to remember this instant for the rest of their lives.

Seth stood on his spot incredulity dominating his thoughts. He felt as hot salty tears rolled down his cheeks just to end on his tattered shirt. His master shook him out of his trance. "Go back to the room now!" Ordered Jacob to the top of his lungs. The sub faltered in his step but ran inside as fast as he could, obeying the command and grateful to be allowed to leave the macabre scene.

Jacob entered his room after ordering his pack to dismiss all the guests and disposing of Mike's body. Billy retired to his room, too troubled after witnessing for the first time in his life a sub taking his own life. Jake approached Seth slowly, standing in front of the sub who cried quietly. "What the hell are you doing crying? That idiot ruined my father's birthday." Really? A man just died in front of him and all he cared about was the fucking party? What kind of twisted sick mind has its priorities so screwed?

"That dog was not worth what my father paid for him, why are you crying for him?" Asked Jacob.

Seth looking as forlorn as ever whispered. "Master I cry for him because somebody has to. He was alive and he is no more. He died a miserable death and even if in life he got no respect at least in death I want to honor him. Even if it's with something as simple as my tears."

Jacob was dumbfounded listening to his sub. He had an insight and a perspective he never suspected in somebody as small and insignificant as his dog. The master couldn't debate his sub's argument and just sat on a chair close to him watching as the light of the moon was reflected on the drops that ran down his cheeks. He realized that easily could have been his sub. It was not a matter anymore of not getting a new one; it was a matter that he had a good one and didn't want to let him go. Never before he felt as close and vulnerable when it came to a sub. It scared him, the last thing he wanted was to seem weak, he dreaded the idea of anybody finding out he regretted giving Mike to Carlos, but was extremely grateful he had kept the man in front of him. Once again he felt another piece of ice fall from his cold heart hitting his conscience making him see all the evil and the pain he had caused the poor soul kneeling in front of him.

"What's your name, submissive?" Jacob asked the sub with the intention of at least giving him a bit of dignity back by calling him by his name instead of dog.

"It's Seth, master." The sub's words were barely a whisper. But they were loud screams in his master's ears. Seth demanded justice, he demanded compassion and he demanded hope. Even if he could never muster those words Jacob knew perfectly what was behind that name. But more importantly he knew what that name awakened in him, something scary and delightfully wonderful.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm baaaack! Hello everybody. I know this update took a long time and I apologize for that. I want to thank all of you who took the time to send me messages of encouragement; you have no idea how much I needed them and how much I loved them. You are all in my heart, thank you.**

**Disclaimer 1: Don't own Twilight**

**Disclaimer 2: Please be warned that this story will include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form. This is a fictional work with fictional characters and I present it as such. **

**Chapter 6**

"Damn it Seth! Even in the second round you still feel fucking tight." Said Jacob breathlessly as he buried himself inside the sub's body again and again. Maybe it was not that Seth was tight as much as the fact that Jacob was a _really big boy_.

"I'm tired, you'll ride me now." Jake pulled out of Seth with a crude pop. The master laid down on the bed and Seth maneuvered his body so he was crouching over his master's manhood on shaky legs. He was already exhausted and covered in sweat from having been on his hands and knees for the last thirty minutes, this made the task of hovering over his master even harder especially considering he could not hold on to him.

Jacob was kneading Seth's firm ass, almost panting with desire. "Hurry up dog!" Holding Jacob's cock upright with one hand he wiggled around a bit before descending slowly onto the rigid pole. Not wanting to wait even one second the master grabbed Seth's hips with his big hands and shoved him down hard until the sub's cheeks caressed his thighs.

Seth breathed deeply and began impaling himself on his master's length. Even after having sex with him twice this much deeper intrusion was especially painful and he had to make an effort to not hiss in pain. Each time they had sex was in a way like being branded again, only through his ass. Jake didn't flinch even after seeing Seth's expression, quite the opposite, he lunged himself off the bed to pile drive the sub's ass in rapid deep thrusts. Jacob relished in the velvety heat wrapped around his painfully hard cock. The ever so expert sub clenched his ass tightly to provide his master with added sensation.

"Oh yeah fuck…. so good…. Gyrate your hips." Jacob was lost in the sensation, completely oblivious to anything besides the delicious movements of his sub. "Oh shit… I'm coming!" he cried out. His body convulsed as he was being drained, while washing Seth's walls with his hot man cream. Seth pulled himself off knowing never to linger on the bed. Jake's semi-hard dick fell slightly to the side when it left the sub's body. Seth jumped off the bed and after collecting his clothes limped to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

When Seth came out of his bathroom he was faced with his master leaning against the wall with his huge arms crossed over his chest and a blank expression on his face. Seth's eyes almost connected with those of his master before he corrected himself and they became downcast. "I'm leaving at noon to go patrol the frontier with Sam. I'll be back about the same time tomorrow. I expect this room to shine like a new penny. Quil or Paul will come tonight to lock your chain. You better not behave like a skanky whore while I'm away or this, he said while pointing at the initials he branded on Seth's chest, will be a good memory compared to what I'll do to you. Is that clear?"

"Yes master" Answered Seth in his eternally young voice. Jacob took one step towards his sub and in a completely unexpected action ran his hand over Seth's bald head making him flinch. Jake didn't understand what propelled him to do such a thing. He stood very still for several minutes having an internal debate, trying to elucidate the reason for his behavior. For lack of a better explanation he decided Seth's scent was just too enticing. That had to be it, which would also explain Alec's obsession with the sub.

Without saying another word he turned on his heels and left the room. Seth felt lighter than he had in months. With his master gone he would get a chance to rest and his body would have time to heal. Distracted with his chores Seth didn't realize how late he was for lunch; leaving the room he worked the maze of hallways to get to the kitchen without having to cross the great room in which invariably there would always be a wolf or two. He learned that if he went down to the lower level he could come up through a seldom used set of stairs and end up just past the kitchen, from there he would backtrack and arrive to the kitchen without being seen.

Unfortunately Seth was anything but lucky, when he was about to reach the stairs he felt himself leave the floor as he was being pulled into one of the rooms in the lower level. There was a big, russet hand over his mouth and after the door was locked he was placed on the floor only to face James who was smirking maliciously. When Seth turned to see who was behind him all he saw was Felix licking his lips, he lunged himself towards Seth capturing his mouth in a heated kiss. The kiss felt disgusting and dirty, the dominant pushed his tongue inside Seth's mouth while James removed the sub's pants.

Seth knew what was going to happen, this had happened to him more times than he cared to remember. In the blink of an eye James bent him over and entered him in one swift motion. Seth's mouth opened in a soundless scream action that Felix took advantage of, pushing his cock inside the sub's mouth making him gag. Luckily Felix was much smaller than his master and he managed to breathe.

"Fuck Felix this sub has a really tight ass, wait until you get back here, you would think Jake didn't fuck him five times a day." Moaned James between huffs and puffs. He and Felix already had a rhythm going in which James would enter Seth making him take Felix deeper in his mouth.

"Can't wait brother, even though I have to tell you this mother fucker deep throats like the best of them." Answered Felix equally short of breath.

Soon enough both of them obtained their release only to switch places and submit Seth to a second round. This went on several times until Seth was almost to the point of passing out. He couldn't even think anymore, he always tried to detach himself from these situations but on that occasion he couldn't. At least by the third time he was sodomized cum and blood were seeping from his hole making the penetration much easier.

After the two perverted morons had their fill and were left with no more cum inside their oversize balls they got dressed and motioned to leave the room, but not before warning Seth. "Not a word to your master about this, not that we care if he kills you or not but we have no desire to spend any time in the dungeons." The sub didn't care what happened to them, as they said his master would definitely kill him when he found out. If that was the case he much rather have these bastards pay for what they did. That was his thought until James added "Just know that if you say something and we get punished, that twink in Sam's estate will run with even worse luck than you. At least you will be killed quickly, he will not." The fear pushed his blood harder and faster through his veins. Of one thing Seth was certain; he could not be the cause for Embry's pain.

The vicious pair high fived congratulating each other on a job well done and they left the room; their lecherous laughter following them as they walked out. Seth laid on the floor in a puddle of cum and blood. He pulled his knees to his chest holding them with his arms behind them. He could feel all the viscous fluid seeping out of his gaping hole and sliding over his skin to join the rest of it on the floor. Every time this happened he felt so dirty and disgusting, temporarily believing that he was indeed an animal sent to the earth to satisfy the needs of the dominants and appease their anger. His body was a testament to how low a human may fall if they succumb to their primal needs. Each scar, burn, and bruise told the story of this apocalyptic world, but the story was not a happy one, this story was pure torture.

Seth passed out only to be brought up to semi-consciousness by Edward's voice. "Seth, Seth, wake up. C'mon pup wake up." The concern in his voice was evident but Seth couldn't make himself regain consciousness completely. He just heard Edward's steps as he hurried out of the room only to come back some time later with another set of steps in tow.

"Oh God, it's as bad as you said." Through the fog that engulfed him, Seth could recognize the voice as belonging to Quil. "I smell those bastards all over him; at least Jake is away, that gives us some time to get him cleaned up. Here Ed, take off his collar." Said Quil handing Edward a silver key that until that moment hung from his neck all the way into his shirt

"How come you have this key?" Questioned Edward.

"Jacob wanted Paul or me to make sure he slept chained to the wall. Since Paul doesn't like to deal with submissives I offered to take care of it." They both knew that after this experience Seth would most probably try to follow the same route that Mike had taken. The minute he was strong enough there would be the distinct possibility he would try to phase. At least this way they would get a chance to try and convince him otherwise.

"Ed, just in case Jake comes back early we should get him cleaned up."

"It will be hell to get their scent off him, they came inside him."

"I know, let's see if we can get him to expel their cum even if we have to make him barf." Quil snaked his arm around Seth's cold body and carried him out of the room. They headed to the room where Seth had been taken when he arrived at the manor. After Edward helped him by taking off his clothes Quil got in the shower with an unconscious Seth, who stirred lightly when the warm water hit his face.

"Seth you need to wake up, we are trying to help you. We need to get you cleaned up before your master sniffs those two bastards on you. Please Seth please come back to us!" Pleaded both Quil and Edward, while Edward scrubbed him with lots of soap. After Quil nodded in approval Edward squeezed Seth's abdomen making him expel cum and blood clots through his southern opening.

After they got him cleaned up Quil stepped out of the shower still holding a semi-conscious Seth. They had been so gentle and almost father like. Seth would've enjoyed the attention if it wasn't for the fact life was slowly slipping out of him. He had been attacked many times before but between the brutality of his master and the lack of proper nutrition he was in a weakened state that might be the cause for his demise.

"Ed why isn't he waking up? His heartbeat is so weak." Asked Quil worried.

"I'm not sure; my best guess is that he is just too weak. He needs to rest for a few hours for his healing to pick up."

"Ed they may be looking for you, I can slip through the cracks a lot easier, I'll stay here with him."

"Sounds good Quil, as soon as I can I'll bring some food for both of you."

"Don't worry about me; bring him something for when he wakes up."

Edward exited the room after peeking out and looking down the long hallway. Quil slid down the wall holding an unconscious Seth in his strong arms. He observed the little dog he was cradling and his mind left his body taking off in a journey through time. To a time many years ago, a time much different than the one they were living in.

Quil's parents had been insanely in love at the time of the pandemic, unfortunately only his father carried the wolf gene and his mother succumbed to the deadly virus. After his father buried his wife of twelve years he left Quil and his twin brother Albert under the care of some neighbors and disappeared forever. Some said he blew his brains out, others that he jumped from the highest cliff on their reservation. The truth of the matter was that Quil and Albert were added to the list of orphans left behind.

The neighbors were good people that took care of Quil and Albert like they were their own. Unfortunately they were older and never had extra money laying around. When Quil was fifteen he phased for the first time and to everybody's delight he developed into a big strong wolf with leadership qualities and a good heart. The couple was overjoyed when he was asked to join the army and had a celebration for him before he left for training. The two brothers held on to each other with hot salty tears streaming down their faces as they said good bye. _Don't cry Albert I know you are close to phasing too and when you do you will join me. This crazy world won't know what hit it when the Ateara brothers take over. _

That was the last time Quil saw his brother. After the six months of training were over he came home to find the old couple sitting on their porch mindlessly moving to and fro on their rocking chairs. Their appearance shocked Quil to the core and a cold feeling went down his spine as his stomach sank. It had only been six months but they appeared to have aged ten years. Quil knew they stopped phasing many years before but when he left they looked much different. He approached them slowly and the apologetic look on their faces gave him a really bad feeling. The woman, Agnes, stood up and placing her arms around his neck kept asking for forgiveness and saying there was nothing they could do.

_Where is Albert? _Part of Quil didn't want them to answer his question, but part of him needed them to do it. He pulled back from her and saw as she wouldn't make eye contact with him. He sought her husband's eyes and they were equally evasive. _Agnes. Where. Is. Albert? _With each word his volume increased, he didn't mean to raise his voice to these people who had showed him nothing but kindness but he couldn't pick up his brother's scent and panicked.

_Quil come inside; we need to talk. _Agnes grabbed Quil's hand and walked quietly inside the house where her husband was already waiting for them.

_Three months after you left Albert phased. _Quil interrupted them. _Oh thank goodness you had me worried there for a minute; I thought something bad had happened to him. I haven't heard of him joining the army so he must be a servant. Where is he being trained?_

Agnes and her husband exchanged a sad look before she took Quil's hand to comfort him. _When your brother phased he… I mean it was unexpected… _Getting impatient and with his shifting ability not completely under control Quil struggled to remain calm but his shaking was severe and Agnes moved away from him in case he phased.

_Son, Albert is a submissive. _Quil chest became heavy as the crushing pain of having his heart shattered in thousands of microscopic pieces attacked him. He felt as his soul detached from his body and floated above their heads. He knew being a submissive was worse than a death sentence. His brother was probably being tortured as they spoke and he needed to do something about it. Then the most destructive of all feelings filled him, guilt. Maybe if he hadn't left, his brother would've been saved, he would've protected him. He could've asked his alpha, Jacob Black, to loan him the money to pay for his freedom. Then again if he stayed Jacob wouldn't be his alpha and they wouldn't have the means to pay for anything. He would've died protecting his brother, they could bring the whole fucking army and the only way they could've taken his brother was by prying him from his cold dead fingers. Quil couldn't stay inside the house for one more second; both he and his wolf were in serious pain. He ran outside and phased not even caring to remove his pants or shoes before he did.

_You know who bought him? _Asked Quil after walking back in the house. He was naked as the day he was born and Agnes walked toward him with a throw blanket to cover his nakedness. _We tried to find out but nobody would tell us, you know they do not keep records of who buys who. They just take the money without asking questions. _Quil went to the elders and the council but all the doors were closed on his face. Knowing how protective Jacob was of his pack he recruited his alpha's help, if there was somebody who could get answers that was Jake. They travelled together and Jake even tried to bribe one of the auctioneers into giving him the information they needed but they were out of luck. The man was too honest for his own good and wouldn't accept the bribe and risk losing his job.

For a whole year after that Quil looked far and wide for his brother but with no luck. He never gave up and every time he had a few days off he would go on one of his _quests _as Jacob had named them. Of course he never touched a sub and always managed to make the others believe he did. Only Jake and his pack knew the truth and they never held it against him when he would disappear for days at a time. Even with the shame that was brought into a family by having a sub among them they still never rejected Quil. The only thing the pack ignored was the fact that Quil would never lay a finger on a sub. He worked hard making a reputation for himself, it was the only way he could help the subs without raising suspicions.

The bond between pack brothers was as strong as the bonds between blood brothers. After all, blood made them relatives but loyalty made them family. This was a line they heard many times after so many families were dissolved because of the pandemic and with all the new families that were forming it became somewhat of a national anthem. They were well aware that if the situation would have been different they wouldn't rest until they learned of their brother's whereabouts.

As he held Seth in his arms he noticed some wetness on the sub's face and realized he had been showering the sub with his bitter tears. He observed the sub's sleeping form and felt outraged looking at some of the scars on his body and the faint bruises on his face. Around his neck the skin had darkened from the constant friction from the collar. Aside from that, the little guy was truly beautiful, with a slightly rounded face that gave him a youthful appearance. His eyebrows were thin, flanking big brown eyes with long lashes that curved upward. He had the most perfect dimple on his chin and just a trace of facial hair. He wondered what Seth's true age was or even if he remembered how old he was.

Unable to tell how much time had passed he was startled by Edward as he came back in the room carrying a bag, a small container and a spoon. "He's still unconscious? Let's try to wake him up. I brought him some broth; I doubt his stomach will be able to handle anything heavy."

Quil shifted Seth on his lap and slightly sat him up while Edward tried to coax him to regain consciousness. Ed patted his face gently and called his name. After a few minutes of this Seth began stirring and the two dominants sighed relieved. Unfortunately when the sub opened his eyes and found himself on Quil's lap he panicked and started trashing until he escaped his hold. He moved clumsily away from the pair, who guessing his state of mind gave him the space he needed.

Seth's naked form limped around the room in obvious discomfort. Realizing he couldn't escape through the only door since it was being blocked by Edward, he crumbled to the floor crouching painfully while hugging his legs with his thin arms. It was a truly painful sight to see a human being in such misery. He hid his face in the small space between his bent knees and his chest. Everything had been so peaceful. The few minutes he felt he was asleep, even though it had been hours, were the most peaceful of all his adult life.

He wept quietly wishing himself back in the realm of peaceful death. He was done; life dealt him a crappy hand of cards that were impossible to play. He looked around the room, first at Edward and then at Quil who was kneeling on the floor naked. Watching Quil's naked form Seth could only guess he had taken part on the whole nightmare and with everything that was going on he didn't notice. What hurt him the most was Edward's presence, he certainly had nobody, no one was on his corner. Since he was not willing to leave this earth crouching on a dirty floor he stood up trying to stand as tall and proud as he could, trying to have at least an ounce of dignity in the last seconds of his life.

He was trying to summon his wolf when Edward's voice broke his concentration. "Seth you are not wearing your collar" the sub opened his eyes wildly bringing his hands to his neck and feeling skin instead of metal.

"Give it back! Put it back on me!" He demanded, not caring if he was punished.

"No Seth we won't, we know what you are thinking and we will not let you do it." Answered Quil in the most authoritative way he could.

"Why, so you could fuck me again? Did you like my ass too?" Asked Seth in a weeping voice. Quil was the picture of confusion until he realized he was naked as a jaybird.

"No, no, no Seth don't jump to conclusions. I didn't do it. Damn it, I wouldn't touch you. Regardless of what you've come to believe I've never touched a sub in my entire life." Now it was Seth's turn to be confused, if he didn't take part of the little orgy that had Seth as main character, why the hell was he naked? "I know this looks very bad but I just held you in the shower while Ed cleaned you up. We were trying to get rid of the scents those bastards left on you."

"Why did you do that?" Asked Seth trying to make sense of what was going on. He couldn't help but notice this was the longest exchange he had ever had with a dominant since he phased.

"We don't want Jake to kill you." This time it was Edward who answered.

"Why not?" Asked Seth beginning to lose control. "Please, I'm so tired; I can't do this anymore, please if you want to help me, let me die." He begged under his breath before the torrent of tears and painful sobs rendered him unable to talk.

Quil ran to Seth's help the instant he saw the sub's trembling form shake lightly as his knees weakened and gave under him. He snaked his arms around Seth's slim body and held him against his own. Edward approached them joining Quil in his effort to comfort Seth. This time it was Edward who lifted Seth off the floor and sat on a chair with his body cradled on his lap.

"Pup please hold on a little longer, we are trying to help you but your master is a very powerful man and most people are not willing to get on his bad side. We never had enough time to help any of the others seeing they were gone so quickly, but you are different. You are stronger than all of them put together. Please Seth, we know your life is pure hell but you've survived for much longer than anyone expected, I beg you to please give us a little more time" Pleaded Edward while holding the sub's head against his chest and rocking him gently. After donning his pants Quil knelt beside them and ran his callous hand over Seth's bald head. He couldn't see Seth anymore; all he saw was his brother and wondered if anybody was ever compassionate with him. He felt as two tortured and sorrowful tears escaped his eyes and then two more and another until they combined in one continuous anguished flow. Edward noticing his friend's distress moved the hand that held Seth's knees and dried some of Quil's tears with the pad of his thumb.

"Why are you crying?" Asked Seth in a low childlike voice, neither one of them noticing how much time had passed. Quil grabbed Seth's small hand and kissed it tenderly before telling him it was a long story that one day he would share with him. The sub nodded in understanding turning his head to look at Edward who watched him through red rimmed eyes. Since this would be one of those rare occasions in which Seth was not terrified or being mercilessly tortured by a dominant he snuggled to Edward's chest relishing in its warmth.

"Damn it! You must be cold, Quil I brought some clothes; they are in that bag." Quil followed Edward's line of sight to where the bag rested on the floor. He retrieved the old rags from the bag looking at them in disgust.

"Ed is there any way to get him anything better to wear or at least something warmer? There has to be millions of closets and stores we can raid and he has to keep wearing these pieces of shit."

"You know I don't leave the manor anymore, why don't you next time you leave for a few days try to find something that will fit him? I'll make sure it gets washed so Jake will not even guess it's new. Just make sure it looks old, no new clothes."

"I'll do that." Kneeling back down beside them Quil began sliding up Seth's pants before Edward lifted him so his pants could cover his naked behind. The sub used to being handled by the dominants, albeit under very different circumstances, stayed still and allowed Quil to dress him.

"The broth I brought must be cold by now, Quil can you check if there is wood in that stove, we can warm it up." Seth tensed on Edward's lap as Quil got the fire going. Sensing his distress Ed looked at him quizzically. The sub just looked in the direction of the stove shaking lightly. The dominants in the room picked up Seth's heartbeat speeding up and guessed the reason for his distress. Absentmindedly the sub had moved his hand to his chest right over the spot where he had been branded. Edward placed his hand over Seth's and comforted him, helping him see they would never do something even slightly similar to that. After a few minutes Seth relaxed back onto Ed's chest, taking this rare opportunity to feel somewhat human and cared for.

"Here we go, nice and warm." Stated Quil while stirring the small metal container as he brought it to Seth.

Seth motioned to grab it from Quil's hands but he wouldn't relinquish the container and instead dipped the spoon in the hot liquid and blew on it before bringing it to the sub's lips. The sub not used to any type of nurturing treatment coming from a dom or even his parents for that matter, was distrustful of this sudden outpour of attention. Deciding he had been helpful and decent he trusted him and took the steaming liquid swallowing loudly as it slid down his throat. He sighed internally enjoying the flavor and the warmth.

"Seth, can you walk?" Asked Quil as he moved away from Seth once the broth was gone. Seth nodded affirmatively and stood up from Edward's lap, whimpering internally at the loss of his warmth. Both doms in the room felt a cruel fury invade them watching Seth limp towards the door. They were witnessing the product of a being crueler than the virus that almost decimated earth's population…. men.

"Quil go with him; the last thing he needs is to bump into anybody from this house." Directed Edward to which Quil complied without hesitating. Seth was curious as to why Quil obeyed so diligently a man who in their caste system was beneath him.

They took off walking towards Jacob room. Feeling confident enough after what he experienced with Quil he decided to ask him the reason of his behavior when it came to Edward. "Quil, why do you obey Edward? He is beneath you."

Quil chuckled lightly "Seth, not everything is what it seems. Edward might be a cook now, but he is much more than that. He…" The dominant stopped talking when he noticed a familiar form coming toward them. Just what they needed, to bump into Alec.

"What do we have here?" It was unnerving for the sub to feel like he was a piece of meat. Alec looked at him licking his lips, the stench of his arousal reaching Seth's nostrils and making him shake slightly. He prayed Quil could be able to protect him but wasn't very hopeful.

"Since Jacob is not here I will take this sub to my room and show him what a good fuck is." Stated Alec lustily.

"Dream on, idiot." Stated Quil, his voice filled with contempt.

"Why not? He is already limping and reeks of you and Edward."

"Exactly, he had enough for today. And before you even think about telling Jake and getting him killed remember I have enough dirt on you to have you sent to the dungeons for a long, _long_ time. Maybe down there you will find a boyfriend that will show you what a _really_ good fuck is like." Alec blanched at Quil's words and went on his way without saying another word.

Quil had to suppress a laugh while pulling Seth toward Jacob's room where he would have to sleep on the sofa to keep the pup safe. For reasons nobody understood Seth's scent was more enticing than any of the other subs that had resided in the manor. To some extent even Quil was being affected by it, it was quite odd. After securing the sub to the chain on the wall Quil flicked off the lights and collapsed on one of the comfortable sofas in the sitting area in Jacob's room. As it happened every night, nostalgia enveloped him in a shroud of memories; this was all he had left, the thing he cherished more than anything. In that fleeting moment before falling asleep he reminisced of old times, of better times, sleep claimed him with the images of two little boys running around the house, jumping from chair to chair so the lava wouldn't hurt them . Images that he will never give up.

_Good night Albert…_


	7. Chapter 7

**I apologize for the change in pace of my updates. I'm trying to catch up and hopefully I'll be able to re-take the usual update schedule. Thanks to all of you who favorite, alerted and reviewed the story. I especially want to thank all the messages and encouraging words I've received.**

**You know the drill, Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer yada yada yada…**

**This chapter includes sexual acts between two males. Those of you, who are under eighteen please click on the little x in the corner, go ahead do it… I'm waiting… You're still here? I bet now you want to read the chapter even more than before. **

**Chapter 7**

Seth was already awake when the light from the hallway hit his face. He was not used to sleeping so many hours since his master invariably would fuck him at least twice between dinner and bedtime. That always accounted for late nights or early mornings if he wanted to get his rocks off before breakfast. He still had a slight discomfort on his bottom but at least his lips were completely healed.

"Good morning Quil." Seth was surprised that even with his master gone Edward still brought breakfast. Then again, maybe like him Edward stuck to his routine regardless of the circumstances.

"Hello Seth, let me get that for you." Edward opened the lock on the sub's collar and moved back assessing Seth's condition. He sighed relieved because he looked shaken but not visibly hurt.

Seth stood up slowly walking to the bathroom like he was on autopilot. His routine was imbedded in his spirit and his brain; he acted out of pure habit. During his shower he realized that the two men on the other side of the door had been more compassionate with him than even his own father and he didn't even thank them. He wondered what was their deal, why they were willing to risk ridicule or maybe something even worse, just to help a dog. Seth's showers never went quickly enough; just the shaving routine took him a long time. After all it was not easy shaving all his body hair including his head.

Stepping out of the shower he dried himself and got dressed before walking out of the bathroom. Edward had left but Quil was still in the room, actually sitting having his breakfast. Seth just walked to his chain and knelt down to wait for his food. The dominant in the room turned around with his mouth full but frowning. He noticed how Seth was holding his small bowl and his heart wept realizing the sub was barely getting any food judging by the size of his bowl.

"Seth, come" The sub stood up and in no time was standing next to Quil while still holding his bowl.

"Ed brought two plates there is more than enough for both of us. Eat; you need to build up some strength." Said Quil pointing to the second plate on the table. It was overflowing with scrambled eggs, steak and breakfast potatoes.

Seth hesitated but a loud grumbling sound coming from his stomach made his decide to grab the plate and walk back to his chain. Quil followed him with his eyes until he was about to sit down. "What are you doing?" he asked the sub.

"I was going to sit down, sir." Answered Seth confused and scared of having angered the dominant.

"Come to the table Seth." Demanded Quil obviously annoyed, not with the sub, he knew the dynamics around the little dog were more than unfair. He was mad at the whole system that took away the dignity of these men.

As the ever obeying dog, Seth walked back to the table plate in hand and hesitated whether or not to sit down. He had not been allowed to sit on a table in so many years, nevertheless he didn't really care, as long as he got some food he was happy to eat it anywhere. He took the chair to Quil's right and began eating his scrambled eggs with his bare hands.

"There is a fork here you can use." Quil handed the sub a fork that Seth held with difficulty. Subs were meant to eat like the dogs they were. The sub felt embarrassed and self-conscious for something he had no control over.

"I'm sorry; you probably don't remember how to use it. This was really insensitive of me, I apologize for being a dick" Seth offered Quil a sad smile and placing the fork beside his plate proceeded to eat the way he was used to.

"Seth, how old are you?" Since he held him the day before Quil had been wondering what his age was.

"I think I'm twenty-nine, I phased when I was fourteen" Quil quirked an eyebrow looking at Seth in disbelief.

"You think?" The sub didn't really remember his age, his life was nothing but one brutal attack after the other and it was better not to keep track of time.

"Anyway that's amazing; you look so young I guessed you weren't a day over twenty."

"I said think because I'm not sure, I may be older or I may be younger. I stopped celebrating my birthday years ago; my life is nothing to celebrate." Once more Quil felt the sting of the crushing pain in his chest. But hearing Seth's age also gave him hope. If a submissive as small as Seth had been able to survive so long there was a distinct possibility Albert was still alive.

Quil became quiet, his thoughts occupied with plans to go on another quest very soon. He had been almost to the point of giving up having gone up and down and side to side of the United States and Central America. He had not been able to explore South America seeing that he never had so many days off as it would take for him to get there. But he knew that was the same reason why the wolves from that area never wondered so high and preferred to hold their own auctions. The possibility of Albert being down South was very slim.

They ate in silence, Quil cleaning his plate while Seth had over half of his food left. "You're not hungry?" Asked Quil concerned with the sub's health, maybe those bastards hurt him more than they thought.

"I'm not used to so much food, I'm full. Sir, if you don't mind, may I save the food for lunch?" Seth was the example of politeness, so different from most dominants whose bad manners usually stood out.

"Of course you may, it's your food." Answered the dominant tenderly. Seth proceeded to fill his bowl with eggs and steak and ran to the bathroom to hide his bounty, it was like striking gold.

Coming back to the table he approached Quil shyly while the dominant cleared the table. He stood next to Quil who feeling a presence beside him turned his head to look at the pup. "Sir I wanted to thank you and Edward for taking care of me yesterday, I'm especially grateful for you staying here with me all night. I don't think I would've survived if those two found me again." Even though the day before he was resolute on ending his miserable life, the new day brought with it hope for something better, even if it was just in his imagination.

"No need to thank us pup, it was the decent thing to do. If you really want to show us how grateful you are, never ever consider ending your life. You are just too precious and I don't know why but there has to be a reason for you to still be with us. Do you realize you are the only one of Jacob's subs to ever make it past the one month mark? Please Seth, put my mind at ease, promise me." Pleaded Quil like no dominant had ever pleaded to a sub in this post-apocalyptic world.

"I'm sorry but can't promise you that sir, I would be lying if I did. I'm so tired; I have more scars than healthy skin and I just don't have the energy to fight anymore." Explained Seth his eyes downcast, the tortured expression in his youthful face a clear testament to all the horrors he faced since phasing for the first time.

Using his index finger Quil tilted Seth's face upward so he could face him. Out of respect and fear the sub kept his eyes downcast almost closing them in an effort to not lock eyes with the dominant. "Please look at me; I will never hurt you for looking me in the eye. Never lose hope; it's all we have left." Quil pulled Seth towards him and encased him in a hug, kissing the top of his head like he had done many times to his brother. The sub tensed with the startling display of affection, but made himself relax aware that the dominant in the room has been nothing but loving towards him. Seth knew that with Quil he was safe, at least for now.

"Pup, your master will be here at noon, you better make haste if you are going to get the room up to his standards." Luckily for Seth he had done a lot of the most time consuming work the day before and didn't have much left to do.

After Quil left taking with him the breakfast dishes Seth ran to do his work, looking for any hidden dirt that his master could easily spot. He had felt his master fist on his face in more of one occasion for that same infraction. When the sun was at its highest point Seth found himself getting anxious for the return of his master. He was getting used to expecting the worse, he didn't want to be a pessimist but life kept throwing him curve balls and he could only catch so many.

As on cue Jacob walked in barefoot and partially covered in mud. He walked towards Seth who was kneeling on the floor waiting for his master's orders. "Stand up!" ordered Jacob.

Just like the animal Jacob claimed Seth was he sniffed Seth trying to find the scent of any dominant. He had warned his submissive not to act like a whore and needed to verify he had done as ordered. "Shit you reek of Quil but I know he didn't fuck you. Surprise surprise, I cannot find any alien scent on you; you managed to keep your pants on while I was away. Damn it you smell fucking good, as soon as I'm out of the shower I want you on all fours on the bed." Seth felt the blushing creeping up his face; it was more a nervous reaction than anything else. His master on the other hand thought the pink coloring on his cheeks looked adorable and was eternally grateful nobody knew what was in his twisted mind.

As expected the minute he was out of the shower he was all over Seth making up for the twenty four hours they were apart. He was a horny bastard but not even that could explain his behavior towards his sub. It was something else, something he refused to even consider. In his mind it was absolutely impossible. Jacob _needed_ his sub; and not any sub, he needed Seth. It was not a matter of having someone to fuck; it was a need for intimacy. He was well aware that his sub hated him, after all he was a monster, but that little dog had a grip on him like no one else.

"Sam is coming tomorrow; he has some shit he needs to do, and I got stuck having to babysit his sub. He knows dad will not buy us new ones; he has no other choice but to keep his sub alive. Last time he left for a few days they passed his sub around for everybody to have fun, he cannot risk that happening again." Even though his master's words were very hard to hear, the instant Seth heard about Embry visiting he felt his hands shake with excitement and his heart pick up.

"Don't get so excited submissive." Snapped Jacob angrily while grabbing Seth's face painfully. The sub's face contorted in pain to which the master just chuckled mockingly. "You will have to share all your food with this dog; I will not give you any extras. He will have to earn his keep working as I see fit. Am I clear?"

"Yes master" Answered Seth pushing his excitement deep within him.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of Seth's usual chores while Jacob was holed up in his office. That night Seth didn't even care that his master was being especially brutal, thinking of seeing his only friend and sharing that space with him made up his most recent fantasy, one that he would gladly escape to while his master used him as he saw fit.

The following morning Seth was awake even before Ed walked in the room, too excited to sleep. He jumped in the shower almost humming some old tune; he couldn't wait for Embry to arrive. He needed to will his heart to slow down before he faced his dominant, it could get ugly if he didn't. Jacob was a very unstable wolf who at the slightest provocation would lash out against him and the last thing he wanted was to welcome Embry with his face and body covered in bruises.

By mid-morning the sound of voices coming up the hallway got Seth's attention. He recognized the voice of his master, there was another male voice and three sets of steps. It had to be them, it was his best guess. The group entered the room to find Seth in his submissive position. Even though he could not see them he recognized Embry's scent the minute he walked through the door.

"So this is what you got stuck with. Damn it Jake, I thought mine was bad, but that is a pitiful excuse for a sub." His best friend joined him as they laughed mockingly at Seth and Embry. Seth kept his eyes glued to the floor, if one sadistic dominant was bad; two in the same room was a disaster waiting to happen.

"He might be pitiful looking but he is a really good fuck."

"I knew there had to be a reason for you to choose this Chihuahua."

"Seth, show Embry the ropes." The two dominants exited the room talking in a lively way. As soon as the door closed Seth jumped to his feet and ran to Embry who met him half way both subs melting in an embrace that could dissolve a diamond. They couldn't stop smiling as they examined each other like a blind man that sees for the first time.

Embry ran one of his hands over Seth's bald head frowning. "What the heck happened to your hair?"

"My master has a thing about his subs having hair; I have to shave everything including my head."

"Damn you look really funny." Embry had a sincere smile plastered on his handsome face.

"Fuck you Embry." Answered Seth in good humor.

"No thanks, I get plenty of that from Sam." Embry's comment momentarily put a damper in their enthusiasm. Fortunately they were so happy to be together that it didn't last long and they just contemplated each other, basking in each other's presence.

"Em, come, I need to show you what's expected of you here. I don't want my master to punish you." Seth showed his friend where everything was located, never letting go of his hand. Their intertwined fingers a symbol of the friendship they shared regardless of the fact they had spent only a few days together.

"Seth, is he bad to you?" Embry's voice was an example of concern and worry for his only friend. It didn't escape him the amount of bruises on his friend's face and arms.

"Yeah, Mike was right; he is the things nightmares are made of. How is yours?"

"About the same, thank goodness for my gift or I would be dead already. It's very convenient to heal quicker than the average wolf; he is always surprised when he sees I've healed quickly. Unfortunately he likes to experiment and beats me again just to see how fast I heal."

"Em this is so unfair, what did we ever do to deserve this?"

"Being born I guess, if I was religious I would say we were being punished for the sins of our ancestors."

Since his master wasn't going to have dinner in his room Seth instructed Embry to lock the door as soon as he left and went to get some food for them. Edward, aware of his visitor tried to give him a little more than usual but he was being watched by Harry and couldn't provide enough food for them. Seth was still thankful, even though life handed him lemons, he refused to become bitter.

Back in the room the two subs sat together resting their backs against the wall and shared the little food they had. As time passed the light outside the window was extinguishing only to leave behind the dark shroud of the night. They say that most monsters come out at night; this had been proven false by the hell the subs endured at any hour, but that specific night brought with it a monster. Jacob walked back in the room that night to find Embry and Seth on their knees submitting to his wishes.

"I'm so fucking horny; I never had two subs at my complete disposition." Seth didn't like the sound of that one bit, he knew what his master was capable of and it terrified him to even fathom the idea of having to watch as Jake hurts Embry.

"I've been thinking about this since Sam said I was going to babysit his sub. You two will earn your keep tonight, you will entertain me." He said this with the most villainous voice he could manage. "If by the end of the night I'm not happy I assure you it will not be pretty for either one of you." Jacob was looking from one sub to the other, his mind going a thousand miles per hour. He felt the all too familiar stirring in his pants as image after image was created by his hyperactive imagination.

"Get on the bed, both of you!" Ordered the dominant.

"Embry, take off your clothes." Whispered Seth in his friend's ear. They both removed the rags that passed as their clothing and got on the bed kneeling next to each other. Their legs barely touched but even this slight contact made them feel the closeness they had in their hearts. Seth kept his gaze away from Embry, embarrassed with the nakedness of the man he loved as a brother.

Jacob removed the cargo pants and the button up shirt he was wearing and climbed on the bed with them making the bed dip under his weight. His massive form overshadowing the petite bodies of the two submissives.

"This is what's going to happen, you…" He said pointing to Embry. "will fuck Seth raw." Embry's clenched his fists and furrowed his brows, concerned, angry and scared beyond belief. Never before in his life had he been asked to do something so vile and to make matters worse to the person with the gentlest and kindest soul he had ever known. Embry took a sideways glance at his friend who remained impassive.

Seth's eyes were focused on the bed sheet beneath him as his mind wandered off once more. How was he supposed to react when Embry took him? Was he supposed to enjoy it or remain quiet and motionless? This was a new low for him, the idea of having sex with Embry made him experience a new sickening feeling deep within his being. It was incestuous, cruel and humiliating for both of them.

Embry was equally disturbed; he couldn't comprehend the reason for this order. It made him feel sick to his stomach as he knew Seth would invariably get hurt. In addition to all this, Embry had never topped anyone and even though he knew what needed to be done, he only had a vague idea of how to do it without hurting Seth. It was not like a dominant had ever been mindful of his needs, so he had no good example as to what to do.

"Are you two idiots going to stay there all night? Get to it!" Demanded Jacob as he leaned against the pillows readying himself to enjoy the show.

Slowly Seth laid down, positioning himself with his back against the bed, the cold bed sheet sticking to his back. Embry undecided on how to approach this, hovered on his spot, if it was the other way around it would be easy, that's what he was used to. He had never hurt anybody and had no intention of starting now.

"What are you waiting for? You don't know how to fuck?!" Roared Jacob.

Fearing for the well-being of his friend Seth extended his arm and grabbed his friend's hand which was closed in a tight fist. Embry had not even noticed how his body language was giving away his state of mind until Seth brought him out of his stupor. Their eyes connected, both of them tortured and both of them resigned to their cruel fate. Seth mouthed the words _it's ok_ and pulled Embry towards him.

Very carefully Embry maneuvered his body so he was laying on top of Seth but without placing all his weight on him. Beside them Jacob licked his lips in anticipation of the little show he was about to enjoy. Embry rested on his lower arms, one on each side of Seth's head. They were both very small compared to the dominants but Embry was still good five inches taller than Seth. Using his right hand Embry tilted Seth's head to give himself a clear path, he then brought his face in, his lips close to Seth's ear, his hot breath caressing the outer shell of his ear and sending chills all over his body.

"I promise I'll make it feel good" Whispered Embry in Seth's ear. The anticipation of making love for the first time in his life confused Seth, part of him was happy for getting to experience it at least once. They both had been waiting for so long to make love, for even one time to have the chance to feel like they mattered, to feel like there was somebody who cared about them. Unfortunately a big part of him was repulsed by the idea, especially since it was going to be with one of the two people he cared about the most.

Embry's lips found the overheated skin of Seth's neck and began kissing and nipping his pulse point. It felt heavenly, something out if this world, something so new. The kisses were short and sweet, just small pecks that carried with them a big punch. Neither one of them emitted any sound; the only sound in the room came from their breathing, the ruffling of the bed sheet and Embry's lips on Seth's neck.

Seth placed his arms on Embry's back without closing them all around. This simple action gave Embry the encouragement he needed to continue. He bucked his hips slightly making contact with his friend's sex for the first time ever. Seth craned up his neck and bit Embry's shoulder gently making him throw back his head and moan lightly. Embry brought his face back down towards Seth but instead of going for his neck his lips melted against Seth's slightly parted ones. The kiss was filled with hunger and passion, it was filled with love.

Embry broke the kiss, seeking Seth's eyes to check for any signs of rejection or discomfort but found neither. His friend gave him a minute smile that reached Embry's heart. He crashed his lips back into his friend's. They both reveled on the softness and warmth of each other's lips. Suddenly their tongues were at war. Seth moved his hands to hold tight to Embry's waist, their heads changing positions to give them better reach and access. The eyes of both subs were closed, their minds focused on only one thing, the body they were touching and enjoying.

A smirk appeared on Jacob's lips as he observed Seth's pink tongue peeking out to invade Embry's mouth in a never-ending dance. There was a sense of desperation in their kisses, maybe it was nerves, maybe it was the idea that if this was going to be the only chance they would get to make love they needed to make it memorable. If this was the last moment of their lives they had to make it a memory that would follow them for the rest of eternity. Embry's kisses started trailing down from Seth's neck to his chest. He playfully took one nipple in his mouth attacking it voraciously, making Seth arch his back in pleasure and for the first time in his life a satisfied moan escaped his lips. Seth lightly scraped Embry's back with his nails, going up and down in a smooth wavelike motion.

Seth became self-conscious and nervous because of his reaction, but relaxed soon after realizing that if his master was offended by his reaction he would've stopped everything and he probably would be already bleeding if not dead. Quite the contrary, Jacob's breathing was deep and even, peaking at him Seth noticed the level of arousal of his master; that is if it could be judged by the hard-on he sported. Seth brought his eyes back to Embry who was once again kissing his neck while running one hand over his torso. He allowed his hands to wander lower grabbing the buttocks of the man on top of him and giving them a light squeeze. Seth buckled up to get much needed friction and Embry responded each one of his movements with the same intensity.

Embry was equally enveloped by a frenzy born of instinct, his shaky breaths betraying his need. Seth's chest was heaving, breath coming in an out in forced gusts of air. Embry looked into his friend's eyes and found nothing but a primal urge, a need to be satisfied for the first time in his life. The air was thick with sex and passion. Their erections were rubbing together, deep groans escaping their lips as their hips rolled against each other. Pleasure came in waves, one not completely gone when the other one started its crescendo. They moved in tandem, a perfect rhythm for the most perfect moment.

Seth grabbed a handful of Embry's hair and pulled his face down towards his neck. Embry understood the message perfectly and went to work on his neck. Seth never knew his neck was so sensitive, probably because no one had ever even kissed it. The sound of skin colliding against skin filled the room making a toxic mixture of arousal and desire. The rapture of sex was making their skin burn, their bodies undulating against each other. There was nothing else in the world, not dominants, no pain, no anger, just love and sex.

Both subs were memorizing each sound, smell and feeling, they wanted to remember this moment for the rest of their lives. This would give them something to go on during the dark, cold nights of their lives. Seth felt his friend's muscles straining, the blood coursing frantically in his veins. Once again Embry's lips wandered south lapping over Seth's symmetrical pecs and flat abdomen.

Embry stopped his movements to observe up close and personal his friend's sex. Besides the obvious lack of hair Seth was a perfect example of everything Embry would look for in a mate. "Seth you're beautiful." Embry's words as he admired the simple beauty of his friend's body pierced the sub's soul. He pried Seth's legs apart and knelt between them. Embry nibbled on the soft skin of Seth's rock hard shaft tasting the bead of pre-cum that had already formed. Wrapping his fingers around the base he went down on it like his life depended on it. The cock swelled and fattened throbbing steadily as he mouthed it.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Exclaimed Jacob his voice husky and his breathing shallow. This is exactly what he wanted, a scene from the best porno film, but only for him, his own personal screening. His eyes followed Embry's mouth as the meat he was savoring appeared and disappeared in it. He had never seen Seth's dick so hard and thick. Remembering Seth, his eyes wandered upwards towards the face of his sub. His eyes were closed; his parted lips dry from inhaling and exhaling fast. If anybody looked up in a dictionary the word _bliss _he was sure they would have found a picture of Seth, how he looked right at that instant.

Embry slid a dampened finger through Seth's crack slowly easing the tip in his pink pucker, his sphincter immediately relaxed and he was able to push the length of his finger inside. While keeping the cock's head in his mouth Embry swallowed and sucked around the sensitive flesh, the whole time moving his finger in and out of Seth ass. Soon he was adding a second finger and a third, he needed to stretch his friend, he made a promise and he was going to keep it. Seth writhed at the hands of his best friend, the combined sensations threatening to make him cum right in Embry's mouth.

Seth wanted to reciprocate and give his friends some pleasure, but was unable to, seeing that Embry was between his legs while sucking him. His arms were just not long enough. He had to content himself with caressing Embry's head as he bobbed up and down his length. Seth was reaching the point of no return faster than angels fly. He threaded his fingers in his friend's hair enjoying the feel of it. It was silky soft, his bangs partially hiding his eyes. Seth's moaning was unabashed feeling the wet heat that surrounded it.

"Enough of that shit, fuck him already!" Jacob's mood was changing drastically; he no longer felt the need to watch the two subs having sex but wouldn't tell them to stop. It was like going by an accident, unable to stop watching and hating yourself for doing so. He couldn't deny he was excited, his cock painfully hard and dripping droplets of pre-cum. He couldn't or wouldn't acknowledge what he was feeling. Hell if he knew…

Sighing deeply Embry pulled out his fingers and moved up so he was face to face with Seth again. Seth understood what was going to happen and motioned to turn to his stomach but Embry stopped him. "Stay on your back; I want you to see it's me, Embry, no one else." Seth nodded and ran his fingers tenderly through Embry's damp hair. In the dim light of the bedroom the sub's eyes connected, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

Kneeling up Embry took a generous amount of saliva and spread it all over his member. Taking one of Seth's legs he wrapped it around his waist while bending forward to kiss Seth deeply. Without breaking the kiss he held himself up with one hand using the other to hold the base of his cock and direct it towards Seth's entrance. Ever so slowly Embry started pushing, invading his friend's body inch by inch. His movements were sensual, deliberate. He was a man on a mission to provide his only friend with pleasure neither one of them had ever experienced.

Slowly and steadily Embry pushed his length in, almost becoming undone at the feeling of Seth's tight warmth surrounding him. Because of his inexperience he had trouble getting a good rhythm going, after the initial penetration his movements were jerky and not pleasurable for either one of them. Sensing his friend's frustration Seth halted his movement grabbing his hips roughly. Embry's eyes widened afraid he had hurt his friend, which was the last thing he wanted. He did love feeling his penis inside Seth's body, it was silky and moist, the tight ring of muscle around the entrance gripping him tenaciously.

"Embry go slow, meet me half way." Seth's voice had a timbre none of the three men in the room had ever heard. It carried with it a sensuality not even he understood. Embry took it slow, Seth responding to his action with the perfect reaction. Soon enough they had a perfect rhythm going and both got lost in it.

"Damn it Seth you feel so good." There was no space for pleasantries, this were two males in the prime of their life enjoying the pleasures of the flesh for the first time. Embry was slowly slipping into oblivion; it was a dangerous place to go for a sub but with Seth underneath him he didn't care. Embry's mouth forced Seth's lips to separate invading his moist cave with his skilled tongue. He was grunting as he pressed his pelvis hard on the other submissive plunging into his heat with total abandon.

Embry pulled back to admire his friend's face. Seth was disappointed at the loss of his friend's lips; his disappointment was short lived as his friend rammed his cock deep into him. Soft moans escaped Seth's parted lips as his eyes fixated in the matching orbs just a few inches away from him. "Fuck Embry you're amazing" breathed Seth making the lips of his friend curve upwards. They were moving as one entity, Embry thrusting deep while Seth's hips undulated in an erotic dance.

Jacob watched them intently, mesmerized with the scene unfolding in front of him. Deep inside him a vicious anger bubbled threatening to come to the surface. Why…. why was it that these filthy subs were able to obtain so much pleasure, when he was barely able to cum when he fucked his subs? He moved from one end of their bodies to the other, alternating between watching as Embry's dick disappeared inside the ass of his sub and watching the look of pure ecstasy in their faces. He wanted that, he wanted ecstasy; he wanted to feel something but repulsion at himself.

Embry pinned Seth's wrists against the bed capturing his hands and immobilizing them. Seth writhed underneath his friend while Embry unleashed the wild beast that lived deep within him. He fucked Seth with gusto, his moans only surpassed by those of his friend. He found Seth's sweet spot, the point inside his body from which his friend could obtain the greatest amount of pleasure. "Ahh Embry right there, hit that spot again." Demanded Seth "Harder I want more… more please" He was begging almost to the point of tears, he didn't care; he knew Embry wouldn't judge him and he gave a fuck what his dominant thought.

The bed shook, banging repeatedly against the wall, the pictures and photos threatening to fall from their hooks. Jacob looked around in disbelief, not even him; the mighty alpha had ever been able to give somebody so much pleasure. Seth's hips had a mind of their own; they geared into overdrive to pump back and forth. Seth trembled as he wavered at the edge of the precipice; he was falling into the abyss. The sounds that came out of his throat were a mixture of grunting, moaning and growling.

It became unbearable; Seth screamed as his orgasm hit him, his cock jerked spewing strings of his juices. His ass gripped Embry's cock while he pushed Embry towards him to make him sink even deeper into his body in this moment of completion. Fastening his arms around his friend's neck Seth's hungry lips sought Embry's. His whole body was screaming in ecstasy and he couldn't get enough of the man who was making love to him.

Embry's mind was a foggy haze, that wonderful tension deep inside him building up. Unable to delay it any longer Embry arched his back, his head tilted in the same direction while his release took him to heaven. He lost all sense of space and time; he only knew the feel of his cum leaving his body and filling his friend. He kept slowly pumping in and out, even after shooting his cum. Seth's moans were sexy and addicting, he wished for this to never end.

As the waves of euphoria subsided, both subs felt a sense of intimacy and completion. They were panting and clinging to each other. This was something nobody could take ways from them. They lived this moment together and no matter what happened to them in the future they had this wonderful memory to take them through the harshest night. Their passion was enough to temporarily make them forget who they were and what their purpose in life was. As their struggled to reclaim the ability of rational thought they reveled on the sensations they were still experiencing, their sweat covered bodies still trembling. Embry's member was still throbbing inside's Seth's passage. They wouldn't dare move, if they did that would mean the moment was over.

Embry peppered his friend's face with kisses; Seth's eyes were as embracing as his smile. Embry had possessed his flesh like no dominant ever could. At least he could say that he owed a dominant something, if it hadn't been for Jacob and Sam they wouldn't have been able to enjoy each other the way they did. "Embry I will never forget this moment, you will always be special to me and will be in my heart forever." After his declaration he pecked Embry on the lips. They both understood that Seth's love for Embry was not romantic; they had a special bond, one that would be unbreakable. The subs melted against each other in an embrace of love, joy and brotherhood. They were slaves, but for that brief moment they were given their freedom.

Jacob's eyes were lost, nearly glazed over as he tried to make sense of what just happened in front of him. It had been his intention to submit the subs to one more humiliation that they could add to the long list of torture and degradation each one of them possessed. Instead he was the one who had been humiliated, realizing once again that he was nothing. Just a coward that took advantage of those he deemed weak, just like… He had to stop his train of thought, him starting to cry could potentially seal this moment as one of the worst in a long time.

To add insult to injury Jacob noticed the small puddle a few inches away from him. He had been in a trance, when the frenzy of the subs took over he came without even touching himself. He observed as the subs kissed and caressed each other tenderly. His mind was torturing him, telling him what he didn't want to hear. Instead of looking at both subs he realized his eyes were fixated on Seth, the afterglow of sex making him look even more beautiful. _Wait, _he thought, since when did he find his sub beautiful, that was insane, he had to be delusional. The stress and excess of work were affecting him. Yeah that had to be it…

"Get off my bed you whore!" Roared Jacob, rage and jealousy possessing his dark soul. He held Embry's arm as he pushed Seth of the bed. "Kneel beside the bed dog; I want you to see what I'm going to do to your _special_ friend"


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello there! Thanks to all of you who favorite and alerted the story. I have to say I have the best reviewers, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Please feel free to contact me with any questions; I love to hear from you. **

**Disclaimer 1: I do not own Twilight, its plot or any of its characters. **

**Disclaimer 2: Please be warned that this story will include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form. This is a fictional work with fictional characters and I present it as such. **

**Chapter 8**

Shaken to the core Seth kneeled next to the bed feeling as cum dribbled between his thighs. Panic was etched in Embry's features, he knew this could happen, he sensed the change in Jacob's disposition but never in a million years had he thought he would be punished or even killed for following orders. The two subs were at the mercy of a deranged being with no soul.

Jacob roughly threaded his fingers on Embry's hair pulling so hard that the sub's head tilted backwards and Jake was left with a clump of hair entangled on his fingers. Embry's angled his head trying to evade Jacob's first affront. In that position he could see Seth's tortured face and the tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Don't look at him!" Barked Jacob, all he wanted was to kill the insignificant creature in front of him. There had only been a few times when he loathed a person more than he hated Embry. The worse thing about it was that he really didn't understand why he felt such hatred towards Sam's sub. All he knew was that the sub made Seth radiate joy and fulfillment from every pore and he fucking hated it.

Jacob turned his head to look at Seth getting to see a lonely tear as it escaped and slid down his agonized face. Instantly he felt a satisfaction that should've been enough, he didn't need to punish his sub, watching his friend suffer was going to be punishment enough. But that satisfaction was only on the surface, deep inside him, in the place that not even his spirit dared to look, he felt guilty. He knew what cruelty was, he lived it; he suffered it at the hands of the bastards that killed his mother. Even at such a young age he was able to understand their reasoning, there are only a few crueler ways of torture than to use the one you love against you. The moment his mother's spirit left her body he swore never to love, to become a hollow being, to exist but never live. Loving was weakness, feeling were overrated; they were a waste of space inside any person, especially himself.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Jacob raised his arm as he readied himself to land a potentially fatal blow on Embry. A soft whimper escaped the sub's lips as he squeezed his eyes shut not wanting to see what was coming. He though that at least his last memory wouldn't be of Jacob's hand coming towards him.

The blow didn't come; he was not hurt, more importantly he was still breathing. Slowly Embry opened his eyes only to witness something so impossible it couldn't be real. Jacob's arm was being held in the air by a trembling Seth, his face red with the effort. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Asked Jacob, his tone was one of surprise and indignation.

"Please master, don't hurt him." Begged Seth.

"Why shouldn't I? Please enlighten me." Sneered Jacob sarcastically.

"Because he didn't do anything wrong." Jacob was perplexed with Seth boldness; never before any submissive have dared to question his motives.

"I beg to differ." In no way Jacob was trying to reason with Seth, this was all a game to him. The subs were only the game pieces he moved as he pleased.

"Master, he was only doing what you ordered; if somebody is at fault it's me. I'm the one who acted like a two cent whore. I know you need to punish us, all I ask is that you give me both punishments." Seth spoke as fast as he could knowing very well his master would understand him, he needed to get his plead out. He knew the only reason why Jacob's arm remained still was because he was barely presenting Seth with any resistance, it was like part of him wanted to be stopped.

"Let me see if I understand, you want me to punish you and let him go?" Seth nodded in response. An audible gasp escaped Embry's lips as he tried to understand Seth's actions. He had no intention of allowing Seth to die for him; he needed to figure out how to avoid that. Maybe if he attacked Jacob he would be pushed into making him pay and not Seth.

"Even if I'm planning to kill him?" Again, Seth nodded, accepting any fate that his master saw fit. Jacob thought Seth would falter in his intention but he was deadly wrong, the little sub had more guts in his little finger than Jacob had in his entire body.

Worried that his message was not getting through Seth took it one step farther. He placed one knee on the soft bed and got closer to his master. Moving his hand towards Jacob's hand he kissed it softly as heavy droplets fell from his eyes on the bed below. Neither one of them understood what Seth's kiss meant. Was he trying to romance Jacob into changing his mind? Was he saying goodbye? He bared his neck to his master and placed his master's hand on his vulnerable neck, in a silent request for his master to snap his neck and appease his anger.

Seth's actions completely disarmed Jacob; He had been challenged in a level that was utterly foreign to him. The softness of the sub's lips on his hand presented a sharp contrast with the shiver that ran down his spine when Seth gave his neck in payment for a crime he didn't commit.

Embry tried to move, to do anything to get Jacob's attention away from his friend, but he was held in place by Seth's small hand. "Please don't, my time was up a long time ago, I guess I only waited for a moment when it would make a difference."

Jacob's hand trembled against the slightly colder skin of his sub. He didn't want to lose face in front of the subs but he couldn't bring himself to break Seth's neck. Neither one of them did anything wrong, actually they did exactly what he asked of them, they entertained him. Then again he couldn't let this slide; Seth had been downright disrespectful, even daring to touch him without permission.

"Please sir, the strong man is the one who does the right thing, you know what that is and killing Seth is not it" Pleaded Embry, he had to try, even if Jacob killed him for speaking without permission. Jacob grew up believing submissives were stupid creatures without reasoning. How was it possible that the two small dogs in front of him were able to read him like a book? How did they know what was torturing him? What insecurities rested beneath his skin?

"To hell with it!" Pushing Seth backwards Jacob jumped off the bed. Embry and Seth looked at each other in total disbelief, they wouldn't dare move, and they didn't know what to do. A few minutes later Jacob emerged from his dressing room wearing only a pair of basketball shorts.

"Clean up that mess!" He ordered pointing towards the bed "I'll be back in a few hours; you better not do anything stupid.

Seth and Embry stood like two statues, only moving after a couple of minutes passed and Jacob was not back. They allowed themselves to breath as their hearts regained their normal rhythm. Seth curled himself to Embry who was still lying on the bed and wept inconsolably on his friend's shoulder.

"I couldn't let him kill you Embry, I couldn't" Seth's words were mixed with sad little sobs as he began to calm down.

"You shouldn't have put your life on the line for me; maybe it was my number the one that was up. Anyway I don't know what happened here but I'm just happy that he still has a shred of humanity in the barbed wire that makes up his heart." Embry held his friend close trying to comfort him and in turn have some peace himself. After the wonderful moment they shared Jacob had to go and ruin it for them, it was not fair. Why couldn't they have a minute of peace?

"I'm ok now, c'mon Embry we need to change the bed linens and shower." Seth crawled off the bed and pulled Embry to his feet. Before he went to get clean linens Seth placed his arms around Embry's upper body with his hands resting on his upper back. Embry responded to this action by wrapping himself on Seth and giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"We'll be fine Seth; I can't tell you how I know. I just feel it in my gut." Embry had a sincere smile on his face that put Seth's mind at ease.

They had to take turns showering since the shower was so small but in no time they were dressed and more than ready to put they day behind them. They laid down together on the floor, Seth didn't know whether to attach the chain to himself or to Embry so he left it for his master to decide. Embry laid down on his side, Seth flush behind him basically spooning him. It felt so good to have somebody next to him, even if they were lying down on the cold hard floor the company was just perfect.

Embry fell asleep immediately but Seth wanted to enjoy the moment a little bit longer. He nestled closer inhaling deeply and filling his lungs with air impregnated in Embry's scent. It smelled like soft amber with a crisp citric undertone. He didn't know for how long he would have his friend next to him and decided to make every second count. Allowing each one of his senses to become stimulated by the wonderful man in front of him made the moment magical on itself. It was very soothing to lose himself in the moment, ignoring the heartache of his daily life.

Seth felt his face get warmer with embarrassment when he found himself yearning for a much different scent. His master's musky scent could only be compared to the intensity of his dominance and this dominance was only exceeded by his lust and his anger. He had to stop and think what was the driving force behind all the abuse to which he subjected his submissives. Seth thought about it many times before, his master's actions earlier making him rack his mind looking for answers. Jacob was never mean to his pack, he was strict but never abusive. Could it be because he was nothing but a bully who preyed on the weak not knowing he was weaker than any sub? Realizing it was all futile he decided to sleep before his master returned with God only knew what ideas.

Several hours later Jacob walked back in his room, the only light coming from a small lamp. His body was covered with a layer of sweat from the four hour run it took for him to gather his thoughts. He was mad at himself for letting everything come down to the decision to kill a sub that didn't even belong to him or his own sub who he wouldn't more than he couldn't kill. Following the sound of the soft snores of the subs he approached the two sleeping forms curled onto each other on the floor. Neither one of them was chained to the wall and he didn't know if he should bother to do that at all. Once again he felt his skin crawl when he saw Seth's arm over Embry's body, why did he even care? He debated for a few minutes whether or not to drag Seth to his bed and fuck him until he couldn't walk, but no, he didn't want to do that. Jacob was tired of hurting his sub and then feeling like shit for doing so. It was like he was torturing himself, punishing himself and the sub for what others did. Instead he walked to the bathroom to shower before calling it a night.

The next morning the subs woke up before the master. Seth pulled Embry towards the bathroom where Embry got some extra sleep time sitting on the floor waiting for Seth to shower. As they walked out of the bathroom Edward was setting the breakfast on the table. He looked at the subs with pity and concern before turning in his heels and walking out without saying a word. Edward didn't know Embry, for all practical purposes Sam or any other dominant could be using him as a spy. His many years in the military taught Edward to be distrustful.

Jacob stirred on his bed looking to his left to see if his breakfast had arrived. Wobbly and with sleep still stuck in his eyes he walked to the table where he plopped himself on a chair, naked as the day he was born. The submissives knelt behind him waiting to be fed. Without turning Jacob called Seth who quickly approached him and observed as his master gave him an amount of food that was barely enough for one person.

The subs shared the pancake and the one sausage Jacob had given them. The dominant turned on his chair to observe as the two subs divided the food equally, neither one of them even daring to take more than their fair share. The same went on during lunch with Jacob wondering what made these little dogs so thoughtful and considerate with each other. He had many friends but none that would be willing to share with him table scraps if that was the case. After lunch Jacob told Embry to clean the sitting room and after closing the room divider he took Seth to the bed where he took him for the first time that day. Seth had been wondering if there was something going on with his master, since first arriving at the Blacks there hadn't been one day in which his master allowed so much time to pass between their sexual encounters.

Laying face down on the bed, Seth pondered about the fact that his master wasn't being even half as brutal as he usually was. Maybe he wanted to seem as a good guy in front of Embry, then again why would he care what a sub thinks of him?

As nighttime loomed, the subs became increasingly nervous thinking about what twisted idea Jacob would come up with. Thankfully it was nothing out of the ordinary; they had dinner after which Seth was taken once again by his master. This time Embry was told to sit by Seth's chain were he turned his back to the bed not wanting to witness what was happening even though he could hear Jacob's cursing and groaning.

Three days passed before it was time for Embry to be returned to his owner. Since Jacob needed to meet with Sam to get the report about his trip he was going to walk Embry back home. The subs melted in an embrace as they said good bye. Neither one of them knew when nor if they would see each other again and that fact hurt their already bleeding hearts. They smiled sadly at each other while wiping each other's tears. Getting impatient Jacob rushed Embry out; the subs shared one last innocent kiss before saying their final goodbye.

Seth ran to the window to observe the retreating forms of his master and his best friend. They removed their clothes and after Jacob took off Embry's collar they both phased and started running in the direction of Sam's estate. Seth sighed deeply and after saying a short prayer for his friend got busy with his daily chores. After stripping the bed and collecting the used towels Seth got ready to leave everything out on the hallway, that is, until he noticed the time. Too busy with his goodbyes he lost track of time and didn't set out the dirty laundry. He knew it would be hell to pay when his master noticed the laundry had accumulated. Determined on not getting punished for that, Seth grabbed the basket to take it to the laundry room himself. Hopefully he would not bump into the perverts again today but he had never been lucky.

It was going to be an hour before they would reach the outer edge of Sam's estate. Embry was trying to keep his thoughts shielded from the dominant running beside him but his own emotions betrayed him. Shielding your thoughts was not easy it took practice; usually the subs would be much better at it seeing that many times their survival depended on their capability for being discreet. Emotions were almost impossible to hide and those were revealing Embry's true state of mind. It had only been minutes but he already missed Seth, the few days they spent together had been the happiest Embry had experienced in a long time. He feared the possibility of never seeing his friend again. Observing Jacob's treatment of Seth, Embry realized that his best friend definitely had the worst deal of them both. Even though Sam had a perverse and dark fascination with testing Embry's healing abilities he had more self-control when it came to the sex. Sam was a horn dog, there was no doubt about that, but it was nothing compared to Jacob.

_Will you stop the fucking grumbling you're getting me depressed!_ Boomed Jacob making Embry flinch when the dom's voice blasted in his head. "What's the big deal? You're going to miss your fuck buddy?" scoffed Jacob.

_Damn it! Answer me! _If it was possible his mental voice became even louder.

_I'm going to miss him, I already do. He is my only friend. _Even is his head Embry's voice was barely a whisper, just slightly louder than a sigh.

Jacob tried to think of a witty comeback to mock the sub even further but was unable to come up with anything even remotely satisfying. He took a sideways glance at the small wolf besides him and saw his head hanging low and what he could've sworn was a tear sliding down the fur of his face. Jacob didn't know whether to comfort the sub or beat the crap out of him for reminding him of his own pathetic life.

He had a father who lived embarrassed of having him as a son. There was a time long ago in which Jake had been the pride and joy of his father but after his son was proven to be a coward all those feelings where locked inside a box and thrown into the bottom of the ocean. Jake had a pack that was nothing more than subordinates, they had stopped trying to be his friend after he pushed them away one too many times. Finally he had Seth; the small sub was more a cause for confusion than anything else. Yes he was a great fuck, eternally tight and more than skilled in the art of fellatio. He was a great housekeeper; Jake's room had never been so clean. Seth had almost a sixth sense when it came to recognizing his master's needs and seeing they were fulfilled. His sub was perfect.

Seth's eternally youthful face came to his thoughts, like a picture that begins garbled until it clears up to reveal the beauty hidden inside. His steel grey eyes were unlike any others, a combination of sadness and mysticism. His skin was radiant and the most perfect shade. Everything about him was in perfect balance, from his high cheekbones and button nose to his pink thin lips. Seth's beauty was unique and impossible to match. Realizing his thoughts could be seen by anyone he shook his head trying to erase the sub's image from his thoughts. Jacob huffed in frustration feeling himself exposed to the world.

Lost in their own thoughts which they were carefully shielding, time passed quickly and before either one of them realized it they were in front of Sam's house. They phased and after putting Embry's collar back on they got dressed and walked inside. Jacob didn't need to knock; after all, he had known Sam since they were pups. As soon as Embry recognized his master's scent as he was approaching them he sank to his knees in respect. He was roughly pulled up by Sam who planted a sloppy kiss on his sub's lips, while kneading his ass.

"Damn it Sam keep that in the bedroom." Groused Jacob, annoyed and embarrassed at the obvious display of… whatever, he had no idea.

"What? I haven't fucked anything in three days, I'm freaking horny."

"Why? Couldn't find any goats on your way back?"

"Shut up Jake, you know I prefer sheep, goats are your thing, not mine."

"Shit Sam that's disgusting." Jacob pretended to gag laughing heartily soon after.

"Let's go to my office I have a few things to report. I got to tell you I'm getting worried, this situation is getting more volatile every day." Sam led his friend to his office but not before telling Embry to go to their room, wash up and wait for him.

After their meeting Jacob left to go back home and inform his father of Sam's findings which were disturbing to say the least. Every day the pack from the west was getting more daring, breaching the border, stealing food and even equipment, basically creating havoc in an already delicate balance of power. One of Jacob's informants had been found dead, his remains were spread over a vast field as a warning that they were unto them and to discourage any wolf from even trying to betray them. Treason had become a crime punishable with a slow painful death. There were two sides to every story and this was not the exception. According to the pack from the east they had won the war and the right to claim the majority of the land and the cattle. The pack from the west insisted the east fought dirty and had no honor. They claimed themselves victor without having earned that distinction.

Entering his room Sam found Embry submitting to him just the way he liked it. He was already naked kneeling beside the bed waiting for his master. He stood before his sub immediately dropping trou and pulling Embry's face toward his crotch. The instant his sub's lips were wrapped around his cock he sighed with the relaxing effect his sub's able mouth around his member had on him. In a few short minutes he exploded into his sub's mouth, Sam usually didn't have such a short fuse but his need for release was just too great.

After lying down on his bed Sam motioned for Embry to climb up to which he complied instantly. "Get to work, make me hard again." The sub put his mouth to work licking, sucking and nibbling unabashedly his master cock and balls. He knew everything Sam liked; his actions were directed at giving his master pleasure and keeping him happy so he wouldn't see the need to hurt him.

"So, how many times did Jacob fuck you? Answer." Sam asked between light moans.

Embry pulled Sam's limp cock out of his mouth but continued stroking it while he answered "He didn't fuck me master" Sam arched an eyebrow questioningly, his expression darkened and in a blink of an eye he grabbed a clump of Embry's hair making him yelp in pain. "Don't fucking lie to me!"

Sam smacked his sub across the face making his head sway backwards. "Let's try this again, how many times did Jacob put his dick in your mouth or in your ass? Answer!"

"Master I'm not lying, he didn't touch me, he asked me to fuck his sub while he watched us." Sam's dark expression changed to one of amusement.

"What's his problem, can't he get it up?" Asked Sam mockingly.

"He fucks his sub two or three times per day, but he didn't lay a finger on me." Stated Embry, knowing very well not to add to his master contemptuous comment.

"I'll be darn; the wolf is full of surprises." Sam smiled content and satisfied with Embry's statement. He did find it hard to believe but Embry had never lied to him and there was no reason for him to protect Jacob. A loud moan escaped the dominant's lips when his dick became hard again thanks to Embry skillful mouth.

Sam pulled Embry over him and they kissed deeply and slowly. The dominant was in a good mood which was always good news for Embry; he would most likely finish the night without any injuries. They started grinding their hips together, the sub concentrated on the sensation to be able to get hard. His master enjoyed the sex a lot more if Embry at least pretended to like it.

Between moans and sighs Sam continued his interrogation; Embry was confused at his master's odd behavior. "Tell me, did you hear anything about the cold war that's brewing between east and west?"

"No master, he never talks to his sub and much less to me. Seth told me his pack usually meets in his office but while I was there they didn't meet. I'm sorry I don't have any information."

"You're so useless Embry, serves me right for sending a sub to do a wolf's work." Scorned Sam.

"After we are finished make yourself useful and run your hands over me, my muscles ache from all the fucking running. I'm getting so tired of the Black's shit; I'm nothing more than a newspaper boy for them." With anger peeking inside Sam rammed into the sub's body without any consideration or concern. He didn't care if he hurt him and he knew Embry most likely would heal before he could even finish the thought. The main reason for Embry still being alive was his gift. His super enhanced healing came very much handy and his dominant had gotten very used to Embry's healing touch as he named it. He didn't understand it was his gift seeing that a wolf having any type of special power was unheard of, much less a sub.

Relaxed and sated Sam laid down on the bed while Embry ran his soft hands over his master's body. It was a routine they were both used to. Sam loved Embry's rubdowns. Between knowing Billy would not get him a new sub, Embry's ability and the massages, Sam was determined not to lose Embry. He never cared for any submissive and he didn't care about Embry either, but he was a user, he used people to his advantage and the sub had proved to be very useful.

The touch was very intimate to say the least and in many occasions it was a prelude to sex. Embry had become very skilled with his previous owner. He loved that man so much and was deeply hurt when he just tossed him aside like a used tissue. To anyone the idea of falling in love with your owner would be preposterous but to Embry was as normal as breathing. Even though his owner was not necessarily nice to him Embry hoped that one day he would notice how much he loved him and return his feelings. Time passed and the sex was just sex, an act even an animal could perform. His punishments had never been extreme but they were always there hovering over their heads. As expected his owner never developed any feelings for him and why would he? Embry was nothing more than a submissive slave, the lowest of the low, a being disgusting on everyone's eyes.

Living with Sam was no picnic; with him Embry learned the meaning of the word pain. His master had a sadistic streak that couldn't be satisfied with anything. The only time Sam would talk to him was to give him instructions or orders. At least since Embry started giving him massages his master had mellowed out enough to make his life bearable. He knew that at any moment his master could decide to dispose of him but he was resigned there was nothing to do except wish for one more day.

After discussing with his father Sam's findings Jacob walked to his room for a much needed session with Seth. Jacob was a horny goat and his submissive provided him with much needed release. Walking inside his room the first thing he noticed was the total darkness. He thought that maybe Seth was already sleeping but it was only nine o'clock and Seth knew very well his master would take him before sleeping. Something was wrong; scenting the air Jacob confirmed his suspicions. Seth's scent was faint; he was not in the room.

Jacob felt the anger rising deep inside him. If Seth had escaped he would find him and the little sub would wish to have never been born. Jacob turned on all the lights and searched his office and the bathroom. He couldn't believe his sub was so stupid as to try something so pointless and risky. Like a raging bull the alpha walked out of the room ready to kill anyone in his path. He needed to find his stupid dog.

After searching the kitchen Jacob strode in the direction of the great room, the floor vibrated with his heavy steps, he wanted blood. He was pissed beyond belief, way more than he had been in years. Distracted with his thought it didn't even register when one of the wolves talked to him. "Jake" No answer.

"Jake!" yelled Paul frustrated with his alpha's lack of attention.

"Not now Paul, I'm busy" Jacob's face carried all the fury that poisoned his hearth. His expression was one of pure rage, his eyebrows flexed, eyes closed into slits, nostrils flared and his mouth quivering. His words came out almost unintelligible.

Everybody knew to give him wide berth when he was angry, he could become violent at any moment and regardless of the fact they could heal fast nobody enjoyed getting their noses broken for the simple reason of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. His hands were ready for an assault, closed in tight fists. It would be unwise to get in his way, but even then Paul insisted on getting his attention.

"Jake, I need to talk to you; it's about your sub." The last word Paul emitted caught Jacob's attention and he stopped in his tracks turning his head in the direction the voice was coming from.

"What about him? You know where he is?" Jacob couldn't keep the nervous anxiety away from his voice. He was not only angry, he was scared and sad. He didn't want to lose Seth and even though he didn't deserve any loyalty, he felt betrayed by his submissive.

"Yes I do, I threw him in the hole after punishing him for trying to escape."

"I knew it!" Exclaimed Jacob.

"Yeah I found him lurking around the service area, he said he was coming from the laundry room but I didn't believe him. I'm well aware of the routine and your clothes are always the first ones to be picked up in the morning."

"You are right Paul; I think that little bitch has been asking for it long enough" Jake was almost convulsing with rage, he had been a loose cannon for a long time and Seth was going to be his next victim.

Jacob descended through the narrow stairs followed closely by Paul. The stench from the dungeons reached them while they were still some distance away. But they were not going to the dungeons; they were going even deeper, to the very pits of hell. The hole was nothing more than just that, a hole in the ground where they threw the worst of the worst. Even for someone as small as Seth it was a very constrictive space, one in which the person was not able to stand or lay down. The prisoner basically sat on a pool of their own waste waiting for death to have pity on them. Most times any wolf that was sentenced to it would only leave it after he was dead; there were only a handful of criminals to survive the torture box.

Reaching the God forsaken place Jacob ordered Paul to unlock the door on the floor that provided the only access. The harsh cry of the rusty hinges made the wolves' ears hurt, and that was them who were on the outside, they couldn't even begin to fathom how bad it was for the wolf inside. The door fell open to the side and the vaporous stench rose like a green cloud of nastiness. Inside the scared eyes of the submissive connected those of his master for a fraction of a second. Jacob reached inside and grabbing Seth's arm he yanked him outside forcefully.

The minute he was out, Seth dropped to his knees holding himself up with his hands to avoid falling flat on his face. Jacob's eyes widened at the sight in front of him, his anger slightly dissipating. He didn't know who to kill first, his submissive or his beta. If Paul's accusations proved right he would have no choice but to dispose of Seth. But his beta wasn't without fault; he had broken a very basic house rule. Flogging was strictly forbidden in the Black household.

Seth's back looked like it had been run through a grater; it was a collection of horizontal gashes and exposed flesh. The skin was mostly absent with some pieces of tissue hanging loosely from some of the wounds. Some of it was already healing but most wounds were still open and bloody. The moisture and dirt interfered with the healing thus prolonging Seth's agony.

"Paul I want to know something, how did you punish him?" Snarled Jacob through clenched teeth.

"Thirty lashes." Paul answered smugly. Jacob felt a cold streak run from the base of his head down his back and ending up in his feet. Flogging was the only kind of punishment the alpha would never use on anyone.

"Did you forget a small detail or do you just not care about the rules?" Hissed Jacob, the edges of his body beginning to blur.

"I'm afraid I don't follow Jake."

Forgetting about the small wolf for a moment Jacob stalked towards his beta. Paul retreated slowly realizing his mistake and resigned to accept his punishment. "You know better than anyone that flogging is strictly forbidden in this house!" Barked Jacob making droplets of saliva to rain on his beta's face.

The breath got caught in Paul's throat knowing he had been caught. He exercised very poor judgment, it was not like he needed to impress his alpha, he already had the highest position in the house, surpassed only by Billy and Jake. "I'm sorry Jacob but I think the crime required a very harsh punishment. Why are you arguing with me instead of settling matters with the dog?"

"I'll get to him when I get to him; you don't tell me what to do!" Roared Jacob making the beta and the sub flinch.

"Paul I'm very tempted to demote you to omega, I know there are plenty of wolves who will love to have your position and will respect our rules. Fuck Paul we have a few simple rules and you couldn't even follow one?"

"Jake I'm sorry I didn't think…" Jake interrupted his beta. "You're right about that, you didn't think. Do you need me to give you the play by play as to why flogging is not permitted?" Jacob inched toward his beta who retreated slowly into a corner.

"No I don't" Mumbled Paul, eyes downcast, slumped shoulders and a wave of regret attacking him at the memory of torture and death he witnessed more than once in the alpha's memories.

Walking back to where the sub still rested on his hands and knees Jacob called his attention. "Seth what the hell were you doing down here? Speak!"

"I was returning from dropping off the dirty clothes master, I forgot to place the laundry baskets outside this morning and had to bring them down myself." Seth's voice was hoarse from screaming during his lashing and not being allowed to drink any water. Jacob spirit stirred inside him trying to wake up a part of him that had been asleep for many years. The part of his soul he decided to hide inside him unable to completely get rid of it. It was the part of him where his compassion resided.

Jacob turned his attention once more to his beta. "Paul did you ask the laundry staff if this was true?"

"I didn't need to Jake, he is obviously lying."

"You caused me all this aggravation and you're not one hundred percent sure?!"

"I'm almost positive."

"Almost is not good enough, go find out before I do something I might regret!" Leaving in a hurry, the master and his sub could hear Paul's rushed steps as he ran upstairs toward the laundry area.

"Give me a good reason not to kill you." Jacob was not completely being sarcastic; a big part of him didn't want to get rid of his sub. It was not just the sex, or his housekeeping abilities, it was something else, something important and unique.

"Master if you kill me you'll have on your hands the blood of an innocent man. I didn't do anything but tend to my duties" Explained the sub in an eerily calm voice. That was hardly a good reason; Jacob's hands were stained with the blood of many subs before Seth, many of which were also innocent men.

Jacob looked the other way waiting for Paul's return with the information that would determine the fate of his sub. He silently prayed that Seth was telling the truth, even if he didn't want to he would still have to take matters into his hand, failing to do that would make him look weak to his pack. The sub's breathing was labored because of the crippling pain originating on his back. He slowly sat down, every movement intensifying the pain. The master approached him and without even thinking ran the back of his hand on the side of the sub's face. He couldn't remember when was the last time he acted halfway decent toward anyone but his body remembered.

Paul's steps echoed on the stairway making Jacob retreat back to a corner in an effort to seem completely detached from the situation. "So, what's the verdict, beta?" Asked Jacob curtly.

"The dog was telling the truth." Groaned Paul without making eye contact with his alpha.

Inside him Jacob breathed a sigh of relief; he almost got carried away by Paul's accusations and thanked his lucky star he decided to give the sub the benefit of the doubt. Once more the little dog escaped certain death; he really had more lives than cat. How many lives could've been spared if Jacob had the same amount of self-control with previous slaves? Things would be different, he wouldn't be disgusted by his actions and his father wouldn't hate him. Then again Jake could always find reasons to hate himself.

"So Mr. Lahote, you just earned yourself a one way ticket to double shifts for the rest of the week and no days off for two weeks. And before you say anything, if Emily has a problem with my decision tell her to come talk to me I will be more than happy to tell her the degree of stupidity of her husband." No words escaped Paul's lips; he just turned around and began walking towards the door. "Paul, consider yourself lucky, you're getting away with a slap on the wrist, if there is ever a next time you can say goodbye to your position, your status and the comfort it entails"

After Paul left and his steps couldn't be heard by the wolves in the room Jacob addressed Seth once more "Unless you want to spend the night here come with me, you need to get those wounds cleaned so they will heal" Seth stood up with difficulty and walked behind his master in the direction of his room. The fact that he was parading himself naked didn't even faze him; he was in too much pain to care.

"Get in the shower and rinse your back with warm water. Don't use hot water, that would hurt like a bitch." As always Seth obeyed without questioning his master for one second. That was until he realized how much the water would sting, he had gone through enough pain for one day. All he wanted was to go to sleep and put that whole horrible day behind him. He stood outside the shower debating what to do, he knew he was filthy; he was covered in muck belonging to him and to God only knew how many men before him. But he was tired of the pain, it seemed to always follow him around, looking for a chance to attack him and bring him to his knees.

"Seth just looking at the water will not help, I know how much it will hurt, believe me I do, but you need to get your wounds cleaned or they will not heal." Jacob's voice had a softness that Seth didn't recognize, it was soft and almost melodic. The master tried to give his sub a nudge to make him get in the shower but couldn't find a portion of healthy skin on his back.

Seth's steps were unsteady as he walked inside the shower feeling a shudder when his body hit the lukewarm water since to him it felt like ice. Taking the soap he cleaned the front of his body while summoning the courage to turn his back to the water. Taking the bull by the horns he turned around and felt like the skin was once more being stripped from his body. His cry of pain reached the ears of his master who was sitting in his office trying to avoid hearing the shrieks that he surely knew were coming. Jacob covered his ears desperately trying to block out the piercing screams coming from the bathroom. Feeling his legs give under him Seth kneeled on the floor of the shower while water and blood pooled around him.

Stepping out of the shower he tried to grab hold of his old scratchy towel, but instead stopped in his tracks at the sight of his master standing by the door. "Turn around" Ordered Jacob. Seth soundless scream was the only proof of the pain and anger inside him. Even after all he had been through this monster was going to take him. What kind of callous bastard would do something like that? Not even the most dangerous predator could behave in such a way. Bracing himself for the burning pain as his master impaled him he was surprised when instead he felt something very soft and fluffy patting dry his back. His master had taken one of his own towels and ever so softly was drying his back.

For the first time in years Seth felt compassion being directed at him and even felt guilty for thinking so lowly of his master just a few minutes before. After the alpha was done on his back he handed Seth the towel so he could finish the rest. "Don't get dressed, the clothes will stick to your wounds and when you go take them off you will peel your skin off again. Bring the towel out with you and put it on the floor, that way if you move during the night your back will lay against something soft. I'll go find something to eat, don't go to sleep I'll feed you when I come back."

Not even glancing in Seth's direction Jacob walked out of the small bathroom. Seth heard the click of the door as his master closed it behind him. On his return Jake found his submissive kneeling on the floor naked and cold. He offered the sub a piece of bread, cheese, an apple and a glass of milk. It was not much but Seth was grateful nonetheless. After finishing his meal Seth rinsed the dishes and set them on the table where Edward would surely pick them the next day. The submissive felt his master's eyes burning his skin as he skimmed his naked form from head to toe.

Seth laid down on the towel on the floor praying his master wouldn't hurt him, he was too tired and in too much pain. His prayers were not heard since his master approached him and knelt beside him. Seth sat up resigned to the plans his master had for him. Instead he felt the cold metal on his neck and realized Jacob was placing his collar back in place after Paul took it off to prevent him from phasing while wearing it when he was being punished. "Sleep now, you need to rest for your healing to pick up"

Feeling daring Seth shyly spoke up "Thank you master"

"For what submissive?"

"For taking care of me."

"You're welcome" Jacob's lips threatened to curl up but instead he pressed his lips together and walked away. Why couldn't he even give that unfortunate soul a smile?

Both master and slave welcomed the much needed rest. They needed to escape to a better world even if it was for a few hours. To visit a realm where there was no pain, no injustice and no hate. To the kind of place they dreamt their children would grow up. Even if it was only for a few hours, they would not be a master and a slave; they would only be two men living a life of joy.


	9. Chapter 9

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, its plot or any of its characters. **

**Chapter 9**

The last of the yellow, orange and red leaves made their descent onto the ground. The days got shorter and shorter with the sun poking over the horizon later each day and the cooling temperatures making it harder for Seth to sleep at night. His body was different than that of the dominants, in sharp contrast to the dominants who could withstand the bitterest cold; the subs would feel it down to their bones. Not as much as humans would, but still more than the rest of the shape shifter population.

Seth didn't like the holidays, they just made more evident how pathetic and lonely his life was. At Thanksgiving Edward had cooked an impressive bird, actually more like three birds and that was in addition to all the fixings. His master had been unusually kind bringing him more than his usual share. Seth had been able to eat his fill for the second time in several months.

Since Embry's visit Seth had noticed a small change in his master's attitude towards him. The sex was still brutal and cruel, but at least the beatings had decreased and he didn't starve him anymore. It was a small blessing that Seth welcomed and celebrated. He was somewhat disgusted with himself for thinking fondly of his master. He knew he should hate him, that wolf had been the worst of them all. They all took advantage of him but Jacob went above and beyond to make the sub's life miserable.

At first Seth thought his master was totally demented and prone to rage attacks. As time passed he felt his master had some serious anger management issues and would lash out at the slightest provocation. Seth had been his target so many times that he was surprised when Jacob didn't hit him. After months of serving Jacob as a slave, Seth's perception had changed drastically. He didn't see him as a batshit crazy son of a bitch, well… maybe a little. Mostly he saw him as a disturbed man, even tortured. In a way Jacob Black was more of a slave that Seth was. He was a slave to his past, he was a slave to his desires and he was slave to his anger.

It was the most barren time of the year; the air was crisp and the wind cold and unforgiving. With the exception of a few stubborn leaves, the trees had been stripped of their colorful plumage. Seth could be compared to any of those leaves; he had been stripped of everything, his freedom, his dignity and his faith. But still held on, to what purpose? Not even he knew. It would be so much easier to detach himself from the branch that kept him anchored to the world and allow himself to float up to the heavens. But he couldn't, there was an invisible force that made him hold on even tighter, silently wishing that the wind would stop threatening to rip him of the branch and cast him far, far away.

The sky was a puzzle of shapes and colors that linked perfectly with one another. As the darkness came upon them he mourned the loss of the precious light with its energy, but welcomed the fragile light of the moon with its delicate and mysterious glow. It was Christmas Eve, Seth stood by the window watching the light dusting that covered the grass. He always became very nostalgic on that specific day. He didn't miss his parents; as far as he was concerned they were dead. They died the day they chose money and comfort instead of their own son. He did miss his sister. Leah had been more than a sister; she was his friend and protector since he could remember. When kids would tease and abuse him because of his size she would always come to his defense, beating the crap out of anyone who dared to mess with her baby brother. Seth sighed as the image of his sister's tear streaked face came to mind. She wanted to help, she wanted to do anything in her power to protect him, but she was held back and ordered by their father to stand down and to not interfere. The last memory Seth had of his sister was her screaming to the top of her lungs to be strong, that she would find a way. Unfortunately she never came to his rescue, he was sure that it had not been voluntary. Their father or even their mother probably ordered her to keep her mouth shut and not do anything that could put in jeopardy their ascent into power.

Seth shook his head trying to prevent the memories he had hidden in the back of his brain to come front and center. The week after his first phasing had been a dark and horrific time in his life. He turned his attention back to the room looking for something to do to keep himself busy and avoid thinking, no luck, the room was spotless. He wished he could shut down his brain, he didn't want to remember, it was worse than a horror movie. His life only consisted of pain and agony. He scurried toward his master's office to sneak a little reading. He found a book he was truly enjoying; it was all fantasy, about dragons, heroes and damsels in distress. He loved that type of books; they would ignite his imagination making him dream of becoming a hero and saving the day.

"Jake man, nobody should be alone on Christmas Eve, damn it! Let him join us." Pleaded Quil.

"Leave me alone you idiot, you're killing my buzz." Drunkenly stated Jacob.

It was the same shit every year, his father had considered more than once to either stop celebrating Christmas or prohibiting alcohol, but he couldn't bring himself to do either. Christmas was Sarah's favorite holiday, one that Billy remembered fondly. She would cook for two days only for the food to be gone in fifteen minutes. They would sit in the darkened room with only the flickering lights of the Christmas tree illuminating the room. Jacob would usually fall asleep in her lap but they could never bring themselves to take him to bed. That little boy was their life and they loved him more than life itself. Their evening usually ended with Jacob tucked in bed between his parents only to jump up screaming as soon as the first lights of Christmas morning hit his sweet little face.

Billy observed as Jacob stumbled once more to the bar to pour himself another drink. After Sarah's death they were left with a black hole of despair inside their beings. The only way Jacob was able to handle the holiday was to drink his pain away and fall asleep victim to his drunken stupor. As the years passed the whole pack had become accustomed to his ranting and raving. They didn't enjoy the spectacle every year but couldn't abandon their alpha. The only wolf that stopped coming to the party was Paul and only did so after his daughter was born and he wouldn't dare put her at risk.

"Too bad, can I go get him?" Asked Quil once more.

"Damn it, I said no! He stays in my room; you don't bring a pet to a party." Guffawed the alpha laughing hysterically at his joke.

"You're more of a dog than he is." Spat Quil annoyed with Jacob's intransigence. Yes, Seth was good enough to use as a punching back and whore of choice but was a _pet _when it came down to doing something somewhat kind for the little guy. As Quil got to know Seth a little better he came to admire his courage and resiliency. He also had selfish reasons for wanting the sub at the party, in a way Seth's presence gave him hope that maybe somewhere his brother was receiving the same consideration.

"Watch it mister, you could just as easy spend the night in the dungeon." Warned Jacob.

"I don't care, I can't stand here with my arms crossed while Seth is alone and hungry in that jail you call a bedroom." Insisted Quil, he needed to back off; his insistence could cost Seth his life if Jacob lost his patience completely and went after the sub.

"You know what? Do whatever you want. I don't care, just don't bring him here." Jacob gave up, Quil was seriously getting on his last nerve acting as a Flaccid Flacco.

Quil felt the satisfaction of his small victory; he turned on his heels with a little smile crawling in his lips. He hurried to the food table where he proceeded to fill a plate with food. Edward tilted his head towards the kitchen making Quil follow him. "Man I thought for sure Jake was going to pound you, if he weren't so drunk he would've for sure. When did you grow balls?"

"You should ask your sister, she used to love licking them." Quil was well aware Edward never had a sister and allowed himself to joke with the usually uptight wolf. Edward never minded being on the receiving end of Quil's jokes seeing that he was the only one who even dared to attempt doing so.

"I still can't believe he is letting you bring Seth some food. Here, I prepared a plate with dessert beforehand hoping to sneak up to his room. It's only cake and cookies but I know he will love it, this is something he never eats." Edward placed the food in a bag and handed it to Quil.

Quill was giddy as he walked upstairs to surprise Seth with his own little celebration. Without knocking he entered the room to find Seth on his knees submitting to whoever entered the room. To the dominants this was a day of celebration, to the subs it was a day like any other, they didn't celebrate anything. "Seth stand up, it's me."

Realizing who it was Seth jumped to his feet but remained on the same spot, not even daring to look up. Even though both Edward and Quil had told him many times he didn't need to act like a submissive with them it was so imbedded in him that he just couldn't do it. The dominant understood Seth's hesitance and taking initiative walked to the table to set the food. The sub shyly approached the table only for his eyes to almost pop out of their sockets at the spread laid before him. His stomach growled loudly and his mouth filled with so much saliva he had to swallow twice as fast so he wouldn't drool.

"Sit, this is for you." Without sitting Seth took a cookie and popped it in his mouth moaning as the flavor of the butter and the sugar took over his mouth. He then grabbed some turkey and after spreading cranberry sauce on it brought it up to his mouth.

"Seth, why don't you sit? Get comfortable." The sub looked uneasy and stopped eating to look in the direction of the door. He was never one to speak too much since he was rarely allowed to do it. Quil understood the reason for Seth discomfort. He was not permitted to sit on any piece of furniture and knew that if his master walked in the room and saw him doing so it would be hell to pay.

"Don't worry I locked the door, anyway your master is making love to a bottle of whisky and will not come up here for hours."

"I don't want to risk it; you could get in trouble, that is, if you aren't already by bringing me all this food." Quil had to add to the list of Seth's characteristics selfless. He was not worried of the possibility of being seriously hurt if caught breaking the rules, he was concerned about Quil's well-being.

"I won't make you do anything you don't want to do; you get plenty of that already. Let's sit on your usual spot, I already ate but Ed packed desserts for both of us." Quil grabbed the plate with the cookies while Seth carried the food to his usual spot beside his chain. The heavy chain made a clinging sound as it was pushed aside by Seth, its sound making Quil flinch. "God I hate that thing" sighed the dominant.

Seth didn't waste even one second digging in as soon as they sat. He ate hurriedly; like he feared that if he didn't hurry somebody would take the food away from him. "Bro slow down, you're gonna choke" Quil found the whole situation sadly amusing, he was aware that more than once his food had been taken away from him.

"I'm sorry sir, I'm just very hungry. My master gave me breakfast but he wasn't here for lunch, I tried to get to the kitchen but saw James and Felix and backtracked before they could catch my scent." Explained Seth looking at Quil apologetically.

"No need to apologize Seth, I know what goes on in this room. You're skin and bones, that doesn't come from eating a balanced diet." Quil could feel the anger boiling just beneath his skin and fought to keep it in.

"My master is not starving me anymore Quil, I've always been thin, skinny even. I'm gaining weight slowly now that he feeds me better." The dominant turned on his spot to look directly at Seth's face looking for any sign of deceit or a sarcastic smirk. But nothing, his face was peaceful with even his pink lips turned slightly upwards.

"For real Seth?" Seth's smile turned into a toothy grin as he nodded yes.

"But how? He has never done anything even remotely similar with any of his previous subs." The sub just shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.

After Seth had his fill he stood to wash the plate and set it on the table. Quil's eyes followed him as he moved around the room until he came back to sit beside him. Acting on instinct Quil pulled him towards him; Seth tensed for a moment before relaxing on the dominant's arms. He needed to trust him; Quil never gave him any reason to feel threatened. "Quil why are you so nice to me?"

Trying to avoid answering Quil responded with another question. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you're a dominant; to you, submissives are worth less than the dirt that gets stuck to your shoes." Stated Seth matter or fact, it was not a recrimination it was just a simple truth.

"I might be a dominant but I'm not a dick. Anyway I have my reasons." Quil paused making Seth look at him inquisitively. The sub's eyes were burning onto his face trying to read his facial expression. "I have a twin brother who I adore. He is a sub like you." Seth's brows furrowed as he became teary eyed. Even under his every day circumstances his heart swell with compassion towards Quil's brother who he would never meet.

He understood now the reasons behind Quil's strange behavior. Fate had a weird way of messing up people's lives. He couldn't fathom the idea of a pair of twins being so different? Turning once more to look at Quil he saw how his head hung low and heard a shuddering breath passing his lips. Seth knelt to be able to reach Quil easier, placing his arms around him he held on tight comforting him. The dominant allowed himself to cry for his brother, something nobody saw him do anymore, but with Seth he felt comfortable. He knew the puppy wouldn't judge or make fun of him.

They sat together for several hours, their bodies impossibly close and their fingers intertwined. The two men chatted until well past midnight, never running out of conversation subjects and each statement blending perfectly with the next. The sound of voices coming from the hallway alerted them to the fact several men were reaching the room. Seth could easily recognize his master's voice, even though he was slurring his words. Quil stood up to unlock the door just in time before the small group of men got there.

Quil moved aside to allow Edward and Harry to walk past him, they held up Jake who had his long arms over their shoulders and dragged his feet. Billy entered the room behind the group, looking upset and feeling disappointed at his only son's fall down a twisted path. This was a song and dance they knew by heart; it was the same shit year after year.

Jacob lifted his head and looked around his room but his eyes were red and he was even a little crossed eyed. "Hey thwere he ish…" slurred Jacob staring in Seth's directions, looking like he couldn't focus on one point. "Hesh my pwety puppy… daddy I like him a lot lot lot"

Seth was steadfast as he knelt on the floor; he had sunk to his knees the instant the group walked in. He had a really bad feeling about this. If his master had poor control over his actions when he was sober God only knew what he would do to him now. Even without looking at the dominants in the room he knew what was going on, he felt the tension in the air. He could imagine the worried look on Billy's face, the pity on Quil's, the anger in Edward's and the annoyance on Harry's.

Jacob stumbled forward but luckily he was right beside the bed and fell face first onto his soft pillows, turning to his side to face Seth. "Puppy, come to bed… I need you..." He pleaded.

Seth stood up walking towards his master bed; the group followed his movement until he started removing his clothes. "Keep your clothes on; he will be asleep in a minute." Said Billy curtly, even though his words were snappy his heart was full of sorrow.

Just as his father predicted in less than a minute Jacob's loud snores made evident that he was out like a light. Seth was still on the same spot, realizing that his master would be out for at least a few hours he decided to make the best of it and walked back to his chain to call it a night.

"Nothing to see here, let's go." Said Billy as he shushed out the other wolves. Harry left immediately but Edward and Quil lingered.

"Billy, when he wakes up he is going to hurt him." Quil's voice was laced with concern as he talked in Seth's regard.

"Probably..." Billy's expression was tense and tortured. He didn't like to be confronted with his son reality. Jacob had turned into an animal right in front of his eyes and he was impotent to do anything about it. He could always give Jacob alpha orders to make him behave but it was a very thin line between being fair to the subs and taking away his son's freedom to make decisions. As expected, the rope would always strain to the breaking point on its thinnest part and that was the subs.

"Please Billy let me take him to my room, for goodness sake it's Christmas can we give him at least one night of peace?"

"Jake will be pissed when he gets up and doesn't find him here." Stated Billy

"With all due respect, I don't care. Do you want your son's hands to be stained with even more blood than they already are?"

"You don't understand Quil, for reasons beyond my understanding my son seems to be… how may I put this? _Intrigued _with this little dog. If he gets mad and takes off looking for him he will not respect any boundaries, if you get in his way he will get you out of the way by any means necessary." Explained Billy deadly serious. "I can order him to stand down until the cows come home but if he is determined he will find a way to defy the alpha order, he has done it before. Anyway if he gets out of control, and that is very likely to happen, and goes on one of his rampages he can only be stopped by an alpha."

"You're right, but I cannot just stand here and do nothing." Quil turned to look at Edward who was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. "Please Ed, just this once." Pleaded Quil.

"You know very well I gave my position as alpha years ago, I don't even know if I still have it in me." Edwards's eyes were glazed over with the painful memories that ran through his mind.

"Edward please do it for Seth." Edward turned to look at Seth and back to Quil.

"Ok…" He sigued.

"Seth come before I changed my mind." The submissive quietly followed Edward out of the room and walked with him in the direction of his room.

Once inside Edward's room Seth took in his surroundings. The room was much smaller than his master's; it consisted of a queen size bed, a dresser, a desk and a bathroom. "Damn it, every year is the same crap, I'm so fucking tired. Since they are making me do this I'll do it my own way, fuck the rules. Seth get on the bed." Ordered Edward before disappearing through the bathroom door.

Edward's words made Seth feel like his world came crashing down. What was the point of continue living if with every twist and turn the heavy steps of certain doom would follow him. He felt like he had been hit in the chest, pushing all the air out of him and leaving him gasping like a fish out of the water. He was positive Quil and Edward were good men and that was probably still true. Unfortunately Edward was still a dominant and like many of them a slave to his needs and desires. As the submissive took off his clothes placing them on the floor beside the bed he prayed that at least Ed would be gentler, he doubted it, but hope is the last thing that a person should lose.

Seth knelt on the bed to wait for the dominant. Edward stopped dead on his tracks, his face expressing major confusion. "Spirits Seth what the hell are you doing?!"

"Sir you told me to get on the bed." Whispered Seth sad and unsure of how to proceed.

"I did, but why did you take off your clothes?" Seth remained silent; he didn't know what to say. If Edward was not planning to fuck him he didn't want to put the thought in his mind.

Realization hit Edward like a ton of bricks; of course Seth would think he was telling him to get on the bed so he could take him. The only instance when a submissive was welcomed on the bed of a dominant was to have sex. He walked around the bed and picking up Seth's clothes handed them to him. "Seth get dressed, you know I would never touch you."

After getting dressed Seth stood beside the bed alert and ready to obey. Edward locked the door and climbed on the bed, he sat with his back resting on the headboard and patted the space beside him. His sincere but minute smile showed Seth what he wanted and he climbed on the bed sitting beside the dominant.

"Seth I want you to understand something, I can only speak for Quil and myself. We will never hurt you in any way. We do not agree with the way the subs are treated, actually we feel disgusted with the whole system. But we are a minority, there is a movement, you can call us abolitionists, but it's only beginning and it's still very small. People are very afraid of the council and of powerful men like Jacob. Until you can be freed we'll try to protect you, we may not always succeed but please know we are doing everything we can and more importantly we will never add to your misfortune." Edward's kind words warmed up Seth's soul. There were people out there that cared about submissives. People who were willing to defy the norms and give peace and dignity to one as himself. He should stop doubting Ed's and Quil's intentions, they had many chances and never even looked at him funny. Seth was lost in his thoughts until he felt Edward's warm hand against his face, he was wiping away the tears that started falling from his eyes the minute he realized the meaning of Ed's words.

Freedom was an ideal that Seth was convinced was not for him. Sometimes he even felt he had been born to be a slave, it was illogical since there was no way to know until he phased for the first time but usually there is not much logic in emotions. For the first time in fifteen years he allowed himself to dream about being free, of being able to roam the forest running and frolic around to his delight. In an impulse Seth launched himself towards Edward and placing his arms around him held on for dear life. Edward pulled him to his lap where Seth cried quietly with his face hidden on the juncture of the neck and the shoulder.

"Shhh calm down, it'll be ok little one." Cooed Edward as he rocked Seth gently in his arms.

After a few minutes Seth calmed down enough to be able to speak. "Sir what makes you so different from the other wolves? Quil told me his reasons but I'm curious about yours. Also, why did Mr. Black call you an alpha?"

"Quil told you his reasons?" Questioned Edward to which Seth nodded. "That's very surprising; he usually doesn't tell people until he's known them for a long time. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised, you have angel or maybe you're an angel. Whatever the reason you seem to have an effect on people. That's really hard to explain."

"The reason is because I've seen too much cruelty and sadness in my lifetime. I refuse to take part of this nonsense." Answered Edward sincerely. "About me being an alpha that's a little bit of a longer story but in summary I was indeed an alpha, Billy seems to think I still am. I had a pack of seven wolves myself included. An error in judgment made me walk them into an ambush where I lost every single one of my wolves, including my mate." Seth's deep frown was a reflection of how troubled he felt because of Edward's words.

"His name was Benjamin; we had been together since before the pandemic. We went through so much; our families disowned us when they learned of our sexual orientation. We were even homeless for a while; depending on the kindness of others for food and shelter. We spent many days cold and went to bed hungry more times that I care to remember. Now that I think about it maybe that's why I sympathize with the submissives. I know how it feels to be hungry, rejected and be looked down because of something that is beyond my control. When we phased we had no idea of what was going on, we were looking through some trashcans trying to find something edible. A group of thugs intercepted us and decided to have some fun with a couple of fags. They started beating us up and calling us all sort of names." Edward paused for a minute to gather his thoughts on the events of that night.

"Ben got increasingly angrier and decided to fight back. They left me and concentrated on him, they were going to kill him. I was scared for his life and something snapped inside me. I felt as my body started changing shape and before I could even think about what was happening I had my teeth latched on the neck of one of them; then the other and so on until everything that was left was a collection of body parts on the floor. When Benjamin saw me he was so afraid that he phased too. He was such a beautiful wolf, his fur was silver and shiny, he was magnificent, absolutely breathtaking." Edward paused lost in the memory of seeing his mate in his wolf form for the first time.

"We lived as wolves for two months, neither one of us could figure out how to change back to human. That was until we walked into a forest in Washington, it was patrolled by a pack from a reservation in a place called La Push. They took us under their wing and taught us everything we needed to know about our heritage and even how to turn human again. We both moved in with Billy and his wife Sarah, Jacob was just a kid but already showed signs of the alpha within him. After the pandemic Billy organized the army and I got my own pack with Benjamin as my beta."

"We received some information about a pack trying to infiltrate our lines. Jacob and I led our packs to the point intelligence had informed us they were hiding. Unfortunately everything had been a ruse to flush us out and we were faced with twice the number of wolves from the enemy side. We didn't stand a chance; I saw how Benjamin was torn to pieces by those bastards. I had nothing to live for but was too thirsty for revenge to give up, hate kept me going. At the end I carried one wolf from Jacob's pack to safety but couldn't help Jacob who had been captured and was being taken away."

"After Jake was rescued we gathered the remains of our pack brothers and laid them to rest. The day I buried the mangled body of my husband I gave up my position as alpha and swore never to fight again. Billy asked me to remain by his side since he considered me family and I accepted to work for him as a cook."

"Well, there you have it, that's my sob story."

"Edward I'm sorry you lost Benjamin." Seth's compassion knew no bounds; here he was, a man that went for a ride through hell every day and still found it in his heart to comfort a friend. Edward held him tight until his body became limp and his light snores were the only sound in the room. He placed Seth comfortably on the bed, his head on a pillow and a blanket covering his body. It had been years since Seth slept in a bed.

"Good night Seth and Merry Christmas." Whispered Edward.

Edward was up before dawn and shook Seth awake. He was used to getting up very early and even though it was a holiday he still did. Seth was initially startled when he found himself on a bed. Ed's kind face didn't escape him and put his mind at ease.

"Good morning sir, slept well?" Asked Seth politely.

"Yes Seth, It's been so long since I slept with anyone, I was afraid I wouldn't sleep but it was quite the contrary, slept like a baby. Most people are still sleeping, we don't do Christmas presents since that was mostly materialistic and there is nothing out there any of us really desires. The only exception is Paul; he spends months looking for gifts for Sophia. That little girl has her papa wrapped around her little finger."

"It must be nice to be a daddy" Said Seth with sadness and longing in his voice.

"You want to be a dad someday Seth?"

"It's one of my dreams but I know it will never happen. It's ok, I made peace with the fact I'll never have a family." Edward's eyes spoke of the understanding he felt for the little dog in front of him. Just like him Edward was resigned to spending the rest of his days alone. Wolves mate for life and his mate was gone forever. He lived a life that would make Benjamin proud of him and waited for the moment when he could join him.

The atmosphere in the room turned to one of sadness and Edward couldn't allow himself to succumb to depression, he struggled with it for too long and didn't want to go down that road again. "Seth you have to shower and get ready, Jacob will be upset that you were taken from him." Seth's body became stiff and tense, he knew today wouldn't be a good day. "Go shower I'll try to find you a clean shirt."

After showering Seth walked in the room dressed only in the old pants he had been wearing the night before. Edward handed him an old long sleeve shirt with grease stains on the front. Seth looked at it in awe and almost ceremoniously thanked Edward.

"Seth it's no big deal, it's just an old shirt."

The submissive looked from his shirt to Edward tears of joy filling his eyes and overflowing down his cheeks. "You see sir; I haven't received a Christmas present in fifteen years… thank you." He dove to Edward's arms while repeating thank you again and again. The dominant cradled him in his arms allowing himself to cry with the sub.

"Damn it Seth you made me cry!" Whined Edward while laughing awkwardly. "C'mon we have to get breakfast ready before a pack of hungry wolves invades the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen Seth took over washing the mountain of dishes from the previous night. In no time the aroma of sausage and eggs began to flow from the skillets, filling the kitchen and making Seth's stomach grumble.

"Seth here is your master's tray, good luck little one." Edward said a silent prayer as Seth sauntered out of the kitchen carrying the heavy tray.

As he came closer and closer to his master's room Seth became increasingly nervous, the anticipation of another day of torture becoming very real. He questioned if the kindness he enjoyed the day before did more damage than good, he felt human, even loved. Now he was going to be face to face with his nightmare. He walked in the room without making any noise in case his master was still sleeping. Of course he was out of luck. Sitting on his usual spot on the dining table was his master.

Jacob face was calm and composed, almost expressionless. His eyes moved slowly towards Seth who immediately lowered his gaze. "About time you got here." His tone was recriminatory, a wounded tone coloring his words.

Seth was puzzled, he was sure his master was talking about the food but a little voice inside him told him Jacob was talking about him. He carefully placed the tray on the table and began arranging the heaping plates of food before his master. Jacob's hand shot out grabbing Seth's wrist painfully. The master stood up towering over the small submissive who was shaking in fear.

Jacob pushed Seth against the table and grabbing his upper arms shook him pugnaciously. "You left me, you fucking left me!" Shrieked Jacob.

Seth could already feel bruises forming under his skin that would perfectly mimic his master's hands. "I woke up at four o'clock this morning and instead of you I saw my father in the room. You're lucky my father ordered me to stay here until dawn. I wanted to go look for you but he gave an order so strong not even I could fight it. Seth you are mine, are you listening?" Said Jacob while tapping Seth on the chest with his index finger. "You are mine; your allegiance is with me, you obey me and more importantly no matter what… you never leave me." Jacob pleaded, his tone dangerously close to one of desperation.

Seth was like a rag doll on his master's arms. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the man in front of him. His master had everything any person could desire, power, money, looks, the list was endless. But still he lacked compassion, companionship, understanding and love. Seth was forced to provide the companionship, he had no other choice. His master's life got out of balance when that small part he had acquired was taken from him.

Jacob observed his submissive as he quivered in his arms. Deep inside he was happy the submissive had been protected from the biggest and meanest monster in that house, him. Still he had been pissed when he woke up to find Seth's spot empty. His heart ached for his little submissive, he wanted his warmth, he desired his body but more importantly he _needed_ his presence.

Licking his lips Jacob observed the perfect curvature of Seth's lips, even the small scar over his upper lip was beautiful. He wanted to kiss him, wait what? No! That was impossible, he never wanted his lips to touch those of any sub; it would be demeaning and humiliating.

Who was he kidding? It wouldn't be demeaning; it would be like kissing an angel. Jacob was well aware that if somebody should be disgusted that was Seth, his master was a vile man with a heart made of barbed wire and no soul. Easing the strong hold he had on the submissive's arms he moved his hand toward Seth's face, a frown appearing on his face when he saw him flinch. Seth watched as his master's tongue ran quickly over his lips. Jacob caressed Seth's lips with the tip of his finger, tracing the shape of his pink lips. Seth's lips felt wonderful, he wondered how they would taste.

Seth observed his master's slightly parted lips making his desire wake up like a loud alarm was blasting in his ear. Jacob kept one hand on his sub's face while moving the other to the nape of his neck, craning his neck slightly backwards to facilitate the access to his lips. Seth could feel a pleasurable tingling originating on his neck and radiating towards his body. Unsure of what to do and trying to gather the courage to accept his destiny, Jacob moved his face from one side to the other. Minute movements as he tried to angle his face perfectly. He leaned forward toward Seth's face, their lips almost touching…

…Until a knock on the door interrupted them.

"What do you want?!" Bellowed Jacob while moving away from Seth.

"Sir your father needs the slave to go help with cleanup." Explained Peter after popping his head in the room.

Jacob turned his face towards his stunned submissive. What did almost happen? Neither of them knew…


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everybody, I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving this past week had a wonderful holiday. Those of you who didn't celebrate it hopefully had a fantastic week too. I've been trying to catch up with my updates, I really want to go back to updating once a week but have been unable to so far. With the Christmas season approaching it will be tricky but I'll do my best to keep a good rhythm going. I want to give a shout out to my friend Ratts who wrote a segment of this chapter. Please check out her stories which are freaking awesome. **

**Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do not benefit financially from this story or any others. **

**Chapter 10**

"Listen, not a word to anyone, understood?" Roared Jacob walking menacingly towards Seth.

"Yes master" It was not like Seth could go to anybody and start gossiping about his master. Nobody would be interested and he would most probably get beat up.

"But you're not going anywhere until I get a nice piece of that ass, get on the bed!" Seth removed his clothes and climbed on his master's bed to accept the inevitable. He waited in his usual position on all fours, his head low and his legs far apart to accept his master's massive girth. Busy bracing himself for the impact when his master would take possession of his body, he barely noticed his master setting himself behind him. Instead of the immediate burning pain he was used to he felt something completely different.

Jacob was situated behind Seth readying himself to have the first fuck session of the day. He was horny as hell seeing that it had been more than twenty four hours since he last fucked his submissive. Unlike other occasions, he stopped to admire his sub's body. Jacob cringed internally when the multiple scars on Seth's back caught his eye. Slowly he ran the pads of his fingers over the patches and elevated bumps; he could only imagine the tragic story behind each one of those marks. His body was a map and the scars were the twists and turns his life had taken.

Seth felt a shudder shake his body at the soft sensation of his master's fingers on his skin. His usually harsh touch was not there; instead it was light as a feather and immensely pleasurable. Jacob ran his fingers over his back and on his sides, like he was inspecting him. Regardless of the appearance of his skin, Seth felt soft and warm. The muscles clearly demarked under his hairless skin, he always lacked body hair only having it in the most obvious parts of his body. At least this quirk made it a little easier to please his master's demands.

The submissive bit his lower lip to inhibit the moan that was threating to escape. He felt self-conscious and exposed, which was stupid since his master and half the wolves in the United States were perfectly acquainted with his body. But there was something different; it was not the sex that was making him uncomfortable, it was the intimacy. Not only his master was acting strangely but Seth was responding to all the attention. He felt himself getting hard as his master continued his scrutiny. That was the worst part; he felt like the dirty whore he had been told he was. The horde of men that used him in the past messed with his head; that had to be it. Nobody in their right mind would enjoy being under the hands of a demon.

Jacob chuckled for reasons Seth ignored but he had a feeling it had something to do with his hardened member. For the first time ever the submissive wished his master would enter him just so the pain would make his erection go away. As usual there was no luck; Jake continued with the slow torture he was submitting Seth to.

The master was in a trance, observing every inch of his submissive, memorizing every mark. He fought to dominate his body, his lips wanted to kiss him, his hands wanted to touch him, his ears wanted to hear his moans of pleasure and his heart wanted to… No! He could allow himself such weakness; he never accepted any man or woman that had been offered to him. Why would he even consider this animal?

"Fuck this I'm not in the mood; get dressed and go help. My father must be wondering where the hell you are." Spat Jacob lying through his teeth.

Seth climbed off the bed and after getting dressed exited the room quickly. He arrived to the great room which was bustling with activity. There was people there he honestly had never seen before, everybody was helping, soldiers and servants alike. He didn't know who to report to so he could receive instructions. Neither Quil nor Edward were present, and since he was not allowed to address any dominant he just stood in a corner waiting for somebody to notice him. At first nobody did, that was until a stench he knew all too well reached him before a pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him toward the center of the room.

"Guys look, we're in luck, Jake is letting us borrow his chew toy" Said James as he kneaded Seth's behind with one hand while holding his arm with the other.

"James you may be a sick fuck but I'm not." Chastised a wolf Seth had never seen before, by his appearance he guessed it was a soldier but looks can be deceiving and the perfect example of that was Edward.

"Hey I wouldn't mind a piece of that." Said Alec as he grabbed Seth's crotch almost painfully.

"Do whatever you want I don't care, but before you take him to whatever dark corner you're planning to go to molest him make him clean Jacob's puke, that stuff is nasty." This time it was a different wolf who spoke as he pushed a bucket with soapy water towards Seth. "There is a rag in there dog, get busy."

"Uh uh fuck first, clean later." As Alec was finishing his sentence Paul walked in coming from the direction of the clinic.

"What happened to you?" Asked a random wolf outside of Seth's range of vision.

"Nothing really, stabbed myself with the fucking screwdriver putting together one of Sophia's toys. Emily insisted that I come see Carlisle and get stitched up even though it wasn't even bleeding that much" Explained Paul looking at the bandage on his hand that would be rendered unnecessary in the next hour. Some of the guys started making sounds that resembled whips snaps and crackles which echoed in the room, instantly followed by the raucous laughter of everybody, except of course Seth.

Not only the sound of a whip would forever bring back memories of pain and suffering but Paul's presence made Seth feel very uneasy. He was still being fondled by Alec while James rubbed his very evident erection on his behind. Paul took one look in the direction of the trio and gave them a glare of disgust making evident how he felt about the spectacle.

"You guys are gross, either leave the dog alone or take your entertainment where I don't have to see it." Said Paul a minute before he stopped on his tracks.

"What the fuck!?" Jacob's words boomed in the room making all the wolves wince. "I didn't send the slave here for you to pet him. Seth go back to the room; they don't need you here." He pulled Seth roughly away from the two wolves who shifted uncomfortably in their spots.

The attention shifted to the gorgeous female who entered the room wearing jeans and a long sleeve fitted tee. All the wolves quieted in reverence and respect; after all, with the exception of Billy and Jacob she was above all of them. She carried herself gracefully, her long raven hair swaying side to side following her sensuous movements. Her green feline eyes looked striking against her caramel color skin. Her slender figure made her look fragile even though she wasn't. Paul needed a special kind of woman to understand him, Emily wasn't that woman. She was his wife, lover and friend, but she never took any bullshit from him. If Paul made a mistake or got out of line she was the first one to point out the infraction. That made their relationship work, with them there were no secrets, and everything was out in the open.

"Paul where is Sophia? She needs to have lunch." Asked Emily calmly.

"What do you mean? Isn't she with you?" Paul stood in front of Emily to look into her eyes for any sign of deceit or maybe a cruel joke.

"Paul, as you were walking out I called you because Sophia wanted to come with you. She feels bad because you hurt yourself putting together her toy."

Paul was beginning to feel panicky, where was his daughter? What if somebody took her? What if she was hurt? There were a hundred questions floating around his head. "Emily, I was distracted and didn't pay attention. She is… not here." Confessed Paul.

"How could you not notice your own daughter? I sent her out the door immediately after you left!" Recriminated Emily before taking off looking for Sophia. There will be a time to rip Paul a new one. Paul on the other hand blamed himself and Emily too. Why couldn't she make sure Paul was aware of Sophia following him? That was a conversation that would wait; the priority was finding his daughter.

Everything stood still for an instant before Jacob started giving orders. He divided the wolves into groups and sent everybody in the room to look for Sophia. The house was huge but there were at least twenty of them and all very fast. Even Billy joined in the search after he came out of his office because of the noise. He prayed silently that she had not ventured to the dungeons; no little girl should be in a place like that. Seth didn't know what to do; he had never seen her so he was not familiar with her scent. If he had, he would be able to find her in no time, that much he knew.

The name of the little girl echoed all over the house. Most voices were calm except of course Emily's and Paul's which were frantic and thick with tears. Twenty minutes passed before they reconvened in the great room, with each group that arrived empty handed their hope took a blow. It was just past one in the afternoon but looking outside anybody would think the sun was about to set, heavy dark clouds covered the sky as an omen of bad news. Sophia was just four years old, a little piece of heaven in pigtails. Her green eyes just like her mother's and a temper too similar to her father's. She carried the wolf gene in her blood but was still to phase; it wouldn't happen until after puberty began. That meant that for every practical purpose she was human, sharing every weakness with the doomed race.

"Listen, Paul go home and get something heavy with Sophia's scent. Alec, phase and call all the wolves that are not on patrol, we need to find her before it starts snowing. It's bitterly cold I think it will start falling soon" Paul took off in the direction of his house running as fast as his legs would take him. Emily was pacing nonstop while alternating between wriggling her hands and wiping her tears.

As soon as Paul was back with Sophia's blanket all the wolves including the ones that kept trickling in after the distress call, scented the blanket and ran outside. They stood on different points of the yard trying to catch her scent, the bitter wind made the task especially difficult seeing that any lingering smell would've been blown away. It was Collin who caught a faint scent going in the direction of the forest; Emily gasped needing to be held up by her husband. A little girl lost in the forest and with a winter storm fast approaching was a very grim situation.

Emily began taking her clothes off not caring that she was surrounded by almost thirty men, her mind was on her little girl. " No Em, stay here and wait for us." Said Paul running to stand in front of his wife to hide her from the other males in the yard.

"Like hell I will, that's my daughter if somebody can find her it's me!" Shrieked Emily.

"But Em you cannot go into the forest, you could be taken by anybody lurking th…" Paul realized too late how thoughtless were his words. Emily used her fear and anger to phase into her brown wolf, her green eyes standing out over the dark fur. She took off running at top speed in the direction Collin had indicated, Paul and the rest of the other wolves following her into the thick forest.

Seth stood all alone in the great room debating what to do. On one hand this could be his only chance to escape, but where would he go? On the other hand he knew that he could find her, the dominants left the blanket over the sofa and even from where he stood he could already detect Sophia's scent. Seth gently picked up the pink and purple flowery blanket and lifted it to his nose. He inhaled the little girl's scent which reminded him of better times when he was young and naïve to this world. The scent brought memories of his older sister and how she would cuddle him when he was upset or just wanted company. She always smelt fresh, almost like when the wind would blow through the leafy trees in the spring time. It was enlivening and easily traceable; she never won a game of hide and seek during the years they played together. Seth knew he could save Sophia from the snow; he just needed to follow the warm scent through the blistering cold.

Blanket on hand Seth stepped out just as the first snowflakes started making their way down to earth. He knew he would need the blanket for when he found her and understood it wouldn't interfere one bit. The submissive crossed the yard in the direction the pack had disappeared only minutes before, but there was nothing coming from that direction. He had no idea what Collin detected, maybe the pressure of finding Sophia played with his senses, making him see ghosts where there was nothing.

Walking along the line of trees Seth would stop every once in a while to scent the air. At last he caught the aroma he was looking for and followed it into the dark dense forest. He started calling her name but to no avail, she either couldn't hear him or she was…. No. he couldn't think like that, she was probably cold and scared. That image made Seth double up his speed, it was shame he couldn't phase, all his senses were heightened in wolf form making his ability even more remarkable.

Seth made his way through the dense forest. The trees crowded the space as the kings and queens of the woods. Snow was falling heavier than before, even piercing through the thick canopy in its journey towards the earth. The plants and underbrush were abundant, the submissive jumped over fallen logs and crawled in every small space he saw in which a child could fit in. The temperature had dropped noticeably and he was beginning to feel it down to his bones. Running helped him keep warm but it wasn't enough. He took Sophia's blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders.

The submissive didn't know how much time had passed since he began his search. He only knew that his legs were burning from the effort, his feet were numb from walking over the snow and not even the blanket protected him anymore. Seth doubted himself, what if he was going on a wild goose chase? He didn't know if it was wishful thinking but he could've sworn he felt her scent getting stronger. This gave him an extra push to keep going.

Wondering how big this forest was he debated whether or not to climb a tree to see the extension of this area, but decided against it seeing that the tree trunks were slick with ice and snow. He couldn't risk not finding Sophia, he was her only hope. Even in this frigid environment he could still sense the fragrance of the plants partially encased by the ice and the snow. This was a place filled with wonders that Seth wished he could explore under different circumstances. The ancient trees stood proud witnessing his effort to save the girl's life. The light filtering through the branches got dimmer and dimmer. Seth panicked; Sophia wouldn't survive an entire night in that forest. His search became frenetic and desperate. He even tugged at his collar trying to open it so he could phase, this would've been so much easier in wolf form. The feeling was gut-wrenching, he fought the tears that were forming in his eyes knowing that if he allowed himself to succumb to despair Sophia's future would be even grimmer. Visibility was decreasing at a gigantic pace, the heavy laden snow blocking everything and not allowing him to see more than a few feet in front of him. Where could she be? Was she still alive? He was going insane with all the questions that relentlessly hammered his brain.

On the opposite side of the forest a contingency of over thirty wolves ran in all directions. None of them could find a scent, every once in a while one would sense something that always turned out to be nothing but a ghost. At moments some or all of them would be brought to a halt by the intense pain coming from Paul's and Emily's thoughts. Each one of them placed blame on themselves and on their mate. The forest was invaded by howl after howl as they came to a dead end. All the wolves made an effort to block their thoughts to guard their friends and pack brother and sister. But the general consensus was that Sophia was either dead or had been taken. Females were revered in any pack, becoming a symbol of status for their family. This created unwanted attention from different packs, some willing to sink as low as taking a child if that meant status and power.

The snow was falling heavier with every passing minute, it had been hours of search and they had not made any progress. They were back to square one, going over the same spots so many times that all they smelt was the wolves that just went through that area. The dark and stormy night was nothing compared to the anger, and deep anguish felt by Sophia's parents. Where was their sweet little girl? She knew better than to venture into the forest by herself, why did she do it? Did somebody lure her in? Paul's thought were a locomotive in a collision course, he let out a loud howl laced with sadness and worry.

None of the wolves had ever experienced a grief so immense; the only one who could relate and understand was Billy. When his Jacob was taken away from him he felt like a part of his soul died. That's how Paul and Emily felt, they were dying, they didn't want to lose hope but they had to face reality. It had been over four hours, the temperature was way below the freezing point and the snow kept accumulating.

The blustery, piercing wind howled angrily like a beast ready to consume all in its path. Nightfall brought with it the blizzard they had feared. The wind was blowing the snow into snowdrifts that threatened to become larger than the wolves. Luckily their high temperature and their fur protected them from hypothermia. The snow melted as it came in contact with their bodies. But it was beginning to overwhelm them, the combination of the strong wind, the bitter cold and the precipitation becoming a recipe for disaster. The accumulation made any progress almost impossible.

_We have to go back to the house even if it's just to strategize before we come back out. It's been hours and we're no closer to finding her than we were four hours ago. We need a plan; we cannot keep running around the woods like a chicken without a head. Not under this weather. _Jacob's words resonated in the minds of all the wolves, his father agreed with him. If they had any hope of finding her they needed to organize themselves and not put anybody in danger.

_You go, I'll keep searching, _Paul wasn't giving up, he would never give up. He was as hot tempered and volatile as he was stubborn.

_I'll stay with Paul, I know you're all tired but our little girl is out here somewhere. She needs us. _Just like Paul, Emily was determined not to give up on the search.

_You two are not staying here by yourself, Emily you'll be no good to Sophia if you are taken or hurt. I promise we'll come back out as soon as the storm lets down. _Assured Jacob.

_NO! _Screamed Emily at her alpha.

_Emily Lahote-Young, calm down, believe me I know how you feel but if this turns into a whiteout you can become disoriented and pass out from exhaustion. Don't make me order you to come; you know I will do it to keep you safe my sister. _Billy Black's words carried the authority inherent to the Aleph. After some additional back and forth arguments both Emily and Paul walked behind their pack brothers in the direction of the house.

Once in the house they all phased donning their clothes, all except Emily who had phased without removing her clothes. Carlisle ran to his room and brought his robe which he gave to Paul to protect Emily from the uncomfortable stares of the wolves in the room. Situations like this bring out the best and the worst in people. The men in the room gathered around the distressed parents providing comfort as their painful wails echoed around the room.

Seth could feel as the subzero air entered his nostrils leaving in its wake a dry and uncomfortable sensation. He was exhausted, cold and hungry but he knew that if he felt this way Sophia would be in much more trouble. The sub had lost his faith years before but in the middle of that storm he prayed like he hadn't in many years. He prayed to the God in the sky, to his ancestors, to Mother Nature and to the moon. He stopped in what he could guess was a clearing and gathered the appearance of the sky, the grey overcast was unyielding and unstoppable. The snow was getting heavier with each passing minute, big conglomerates of snowflakes gathered together in a cotton ball. There was at least a foot of snow on the floor and he knew it would be sooner than later that exhaustion would take over; the effort of walking through the heavy snow was just too much.

The naked trees moaned and groaned under the punishing weather. Seth's thoughts went to a scared and cold little girl. This image gave him an input of energy to continue his search. He heard a very soft and faint sound. It was impossible to decipher what it was and with the strong wind blowing away any scents he had to rely on hearing alone. As his vision cleared he noticed a fallen tree trunk leaning against a rock, he crawled in the small space just to meet a pair of scared green eyes, a small face covered in snot and thin slightly blue lips that wouldn't stop shivering.

"Hey there little girl, my name's Seth. I've been looking for you. Actually a lot of people are looking for you. Come you must be cold, I'll take you back to your mommy and daddy." Seth's sweet tone a demeanor put the girl at ease and she crawled with difficulty towards him. Luckily she was wearing hat, gloves, boots and a heavy coat. In this occasion an overzealous mother may have saved her daughter's life.

Seth took her hand to guide her out when she whimpered. "My foot hurts." Whispered Sophia.

Seth didn't want to take off her boot and expose her to the elements. Maybe she had a sprained ankle, whatever it was would be treated by Carlisle. His priority was getting her out of there. The submissive placed the blanket over her shoulders before he grabbed her by the armpits to pull her up and be able to carry her. She wrapped her short legs on his waist while he pushed her against his chest to provide her with much needed warmth.

He began his trek back to the house, task that would be quicker since he knew exactly where the house was. He wouldn't be wandering around the forest. Sophia pressed her little face to his chest and drifted to sleep. Seth knew it was not advisable for her to sleep so he woke her up. He needed to keep her busy and awake until they got to the house.

"So, Sophia how old are you?"

"Four"

"I'm way older than four but I remember being that age. My favorite toy was a stuffed animal, I named him cookie, after all who doesn't like cookies right? You have a favorite toy?"

"Yes a princess dolly, and my markers. I like to draw pretty pictures"

"Really, I would love to see your drawings one day."

The exchange continued back and forth the forty five minutes it took them to reach the yard of the manor. Seth had never been so happy to see that house. He felt like he would pass out any minute, he faltered in his steps as an effect of hypothermia. As it usually happens the distance between the edge of the forest and the house seemed even greater than everything he had walked already. His words as he spoke to Sophia came out shaken and raw, his throat hurt and he couldn't coordinate his thoughts too well.

"Guys was everybody accounted for?"

"Yes, why?"

"There is someone out there, looks like a little kid." Emily and Paul jumped to their feet running to the door. Only for their hope to disappear when they saw it was not Sophia, the person was taller than her and didn't have their daughter long auburn locks. They held on to each other so they wouldn't crumble to the floor, Emily cried with her head on Paul's chest as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know is hard to make up any details." Several wolves stood by the door and the window overlooking the yard. Jacob joined them squinting his eyes and stood ready to react if it became necessary.

"Wait a minute, I know who that is… it's Seth" Jacob's voice was a mixture of disbelief, incredulity and surprise all with the backdrop of anger. His submissive dared to leave the house without permission, the little piece of shit took advantage of the fact he was left alone when everybody went looking for Sophia. He probably got caught in the storm and had no choice but to come back. People could almost see the gears in his head moving, already devising how to punish the defiant dog.

"Jake what the hell is your submissive doing out there?" Asked Billy.

"Don't know, but I'll make sure to ask him before I punish him." Not so long ago a submissive doing something even remotely similar was guaranteed certain death at the hands of their dominant. Even though the thought of punishing Seth troubled Jacob immensely he couldn't lose face in front of his pack. Billy shook his head, disappointed once again with his son's lack of humanity.

"Hey I think he is carrying something." At this words Emily felt her heart jump in her chest, this was turning into a roller coaster, with her going from happy to sad to hopeful in no time. She couldn't deny what her heart felt; the submissive was carrying her little girl. She motioned to run outside but was stopped by her husband.

"Em stay here, I'll go meet him." He wanted to protect his wife; there was no way to know if Seth was indeed carrying her, even if he was, she could already be dead. It had been too many hours under horrible weather, for anybody that would spell trouble, but for a little girl it meant disaster.

Seth was almost at the door when Paul stepped out moving slowly, afraid of what he could be facing. "Look sweetie your daddy is here." After Paul heard Seth say these words he ripped the child out of his arms and ran inside with her.

"Em Em she is ok!" Exclaimed Paul as he was joined by his wife, the family held on to each other weeping loudly as they hugged and kissed their daughter. Sophia was weak, cold and tired but she was safe, she would be just fine.

Nobody noticed as Seth walked in, his clothes were wet, his lips bluish and his skin red. His steps were wobbly and weak. Jacob approached him with the look of death in his cruel eyes. Seth couldn't even kneel, his body hurting from the return of normal blood flow. "Go to the room and wait for me there. Just know that I'll deal with you and it will not be pleasant."

Seth stumbled inside the room after barely making it up the stairs and down the hallway. Unable to walk due to the pain in his feet, he crawled to the bathroom where he wrapped himself with his two dingy old towels. He leaned against the wall, his legs pulled up to his chest and his hands under his knees trying to find some warmth. He couldn't stop shivering, the pain radiating from his extremities almost to the point of making him scream. Seth lost track of time, he was in a deep stupor when a set of heavy footsteps reminded him of his master's threat.

Jacob had all the intention in the world to punish Seth, he left the manor without authorization, he left him… again. He needed to teach Seth a lesson, his sub needed to understand his place. All ideas of punishment evaporated the moment Jacob laid eyes on his slave. Seth turned his face toward his master without making eye contact; he kept his head on his knees as he held on trying to feel some warmth. His skin was covered in red patches, his lips blue and he had dark circles around his eyes. "Oh God you stupid dog!" Jacob left the bathroom and all Seth could hear was him rummaging for something in his closet.

Jacob plopped a heavy blanket on the floor and kneeled in front of Seth. The submissive tried to obediently kneel for his master but he could barely move. His hands and feet looked almost purple and he felt feverish even though he was so cold. Jacob took off Seth's towels, a deep crease forming between his eyes at the sight of Seth's reddened skin. "Let's get you out of these wet clothes." In one swift movement Jacob took Seth's shirt off and moved to unbutton his pants. The moment his hands touched Seth's freezing skin the submissive felt a shiver run the length of his spine. Even in his condition his master was going to use him, could he be more inhumane?

Sensing Seth's concern and fear Jacob place his index finger under Seth's chin and made him look at him. "Seth I'm not an animal, trust me. I just want to help you" Jacob removed the submissive's pants tossing the damp garment aside. Seth shivered notably, especially now that he was so exposed and his master breath hiked up at the sight. The slave's heart pounded mercilessly against his chest threatening to shatter his frozen form into a million pieces.

Jacob sat beside him; the following minutes had to be some of the most surprising in Seth's life. His master grabbed him in a very similar manner as Seth had grabbed Sophia over an hour before. Jake pulled Seth to his lap, his chest pressed hard against his master's and his legs wrapped around his hips. The submissive thought that he had to be dreaming, that was it, he fell asleep and this was a dream or even worse, he died in the woods and this was his eternity. The soft caress of the warm blanket over his shoulders brought Seth to reality and almost to the point of tears.

"Shit it's like hugging a fucking leech" Seth motioned to move back from his master's chest to create some distance, but Jake wouldn't take any of it. Instead he pulled him to his chest even closer, holding him in place with one arm around Seth's waist while the other one rested over his shoulder blades. The submissive leaned on his master's chest with his face hidden on the curvature between his neck and his shoulder. In this spot he could relish on his master's scent, he had detected it before but this time it was different. He had never been so close to any man before in his life. Yes, he had sex with more men that he cared to remember but not once he had been allowed to be so close.

Nobody except his sister had been so kind to him. Here he was, a man that for all practical purposes was a monster that got his sick kicks from torturing him was taking care of him in a compassionate and almost _loving_ way. Seth's whole body shook as the shivers didn't seem to subside. He really wanted to place his hands on his master's chest to warm them up, they were hurting too much and he needed to do something. Sensing his hesitance his master spoke up. "Seth do what you need to do in order to feel better" Jacob's words were kind but he looked tense.

The master gasped as Seth placed his freezing hands over his chest. Seth felt it first in the tips of his fingers, the process of his body warming up feeling as millions of tiny pinpricks all over his body. Even with the obvious discomfort he couldn't help but be grateful for the way he was being treated. Time passed as the two men remained in a tight embrace, Seth's shivering slowly subsiding. The submissive's body felt like melting butter on the hot form of his master. Exhaustion took over and in no time his soft snores were the only sound in the room.

Taking advantage of Seth's slumber Jacob allowed himself to enjoy the closeness of his sub's body. His small body was curled on top of him, no tension in his shoulders and his lips slightly parted. The master felt his lips turn upward at the idea of kissing and caressing his sub. With his arms around Seth's body he lightly rested his head on Seth's, feeling the slight bristle on his head. If only for a moment he accepted all the dreams and wonders that assaulted his brain and this gave him peace. Closing his eyes and leaning his head against the wall sleep took him away.

Sometime later Seth jerked awake, confused and scared with finding himself in his master's arms. He looked around trying to figure out where he was and if he was still sleeping. Looking up he caught his master's sleeping form, he was so beautiful, his calm expression and softer features making him look like the eternal sixteen year old he was. He was so close and Seth felt compelled to touch him, to even in his sleep thank him for his compassion. The sub knew Jake wouldn't appreciate any gratitude on his part while he was awake so that would probably be his only chance.

Reaching up Seth softly placed his hand on Jake's cheek. His master didn't even stir and Seth smiled fondly at the man that even if it had only been for only a few hours, showed him a part of him nobody knew. Seth was terribly confused feeling like he misjudged his master, but the evidence was clear, if he had any doubt all he needed to do was take a look at the JB scar on his chest. Even if Jacob was acting somewhat human at the moment he was and always will be a monster. He closed his eyes to take in the feel of his master's flesh under his palm.

Seth was startled by his master's rough hand grabbing the one Seth had on his face. The blood froze in his veins knowing he had gone too far. He not only disobeyed his master, left the house, but also touched his master without his permission. The submissive wouldn't even dare to look at his master afraid of his reaction. He waited for the blow that would come at any moment but was instead surprised when instead of pain he felt his master full warm lips on the palm of his hand. "Seth look at me" Asked Jacob in a tone that sounded more like an order than a request.

The submissive lifted his gaze and was greeted by his master's sad brown eyes. He had laced his fingers with Seth's and held his hand against his face. The slave wanted to kiss him, to show him his appreciation any way he could but after the fiasco of the last time he wouldn't dare, instead he did the next best thing and muttered a shy "Thank you".

Jacob's heart soared seeing for the first time a small smile adorning the submissive's lips. He realized he had never seen him smile, but he knew Seth had no reason to be happy. He brought their interlaced hands to his forehead after rubbing it with his nose. Closing his eyes he had to will his body not to react as the gratitude of the small dog hit him.

"You're welcome." Jacob spoke without opening his eyes, debating how to proceed now that he had lowered his defenses in such an extraordinary way. He didn't want to be angry at himself and take out his anger on Seth, it wouldn't be fair.

"It's the least I could do; you did save the life of my beta's daughter. Seth I want to know something, how the hell did you find her when none of us could?"

"I've always been good at finding things, her scent was pretty easy to detect even with the strong wind."

"No it wasn't Seth; none of us could sense it." Seth was flabbergasted; he honestly had no clue as to why he was so certain he could find her or how he was able to. He just shrugged his shoulders not knowing what else to say. Jacob decided to drop the subject knowing that if Seth didn't volunteer the information he honestly didn't know.

"Are you warm now?" Seth nodded and Jake felt satisfied that he had done something decent for once in his life. For a second the slave considered telling his master he was still cold just so he wouldn't have to leave his place on Jacob's lap, even though he was scared he felt that was the place he needed to be. He was at home in such intimate contact with his master.

"Wait here, keep the blanket on you." Jacob gently pushed Seth off his lap and stood up, disappearing in the direction of his bathroom. Seth missed the feel of his master's hot skin against his, but was grateful that even if it was for a short period of time he felt human. After a few minutes Jacob came back carrying a dark blue bundle of clothes.

"You'll drown in these but at least they'll keep you warm." Jacob handed his slave a pair of dark blue sweatpants, same color hoodie and a pair of socks. Seth grabbed them with one hand while clutching the blanket with the other. The submissive was speechless, either his master had gone crazy or he was still asleep and this was a dream. He just stood in his spot holding on to the clothes not knowing what to do.

"What are you waiting for? Are you stupid? Get dressed." Seth dropped the blanket which pooled by his feet and hastily got dressed with clothes that were twice his size but soft and warm. Jacob awkwardly stood in front of him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He didn't need to stay there but couldn't make himself leave. Just like Seth he wanted this moment to last forever.

The master knew that soon enough he would hurt his slave again. Anything could trigger his rage, a memory, a feeling, even a dream. One of those horrible nightmares that plagued him, those unforgivable and vivid dreams that would torture him like strips of leather punishing his skin as his own deafening screams attacked him. He would wake up trembling, sweating and gasping for breath only to realize that he had turned into his own worst enemy. His soul was trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

Carefully Seth folded the blanket to set it aside to be laundered in the morning. "Keep the blanket too, consider this..." Jacob pointed to the clothes and the blanket "… your reward for rescuing Sophia"

Seth's eyes filled with tears that he blinked away; his master was not fond of tears. It was not a big deal just some clothes that any dominant would part with in a heartbeat, but to Seth they were something entirely different. He had nothing, not even his body was his own but these items that were touching his skin were his. Without saying a word both men walked back to the room. The submissive proceeded to set the blanket on the floor next to his chain; luckily it was big enough that he could fold it in half. He would lie on one half, while he would use the other half to cover himself, thus avoiding having to sleep on the cold floor.

Jacob sat on the bed looking completely spent, but watching every one of Seth's movements. Feeling his master's eyes on him the submissive stopped arranging his bed and walked toward his master. With gratitude coming out of his pores he knelt in front of his master and bending over humbly kissed his feet.

"Damn it Seth! Are you crazy? Don't do that, they're just some stupid clothes and a blanket, it's no big deal."

Lifting his eyes enough that he could see his master lips but without the defiance of meeting his eyes, Seth answered. "I'm not crazy master, I'm very grateful for your kindness. They are not just some stupid clothes; they are more… a lot more."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone! I want to thank those of you who are still giving this story a chance. I really appreciate the messages, alerts and especially the reviews. **

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**Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do not benefit financially from this story or any others. **

**Chapter 11**

The next morning Edward was speechless when he saw Seth sleeping snugly on a blanket, wearing the clothes Jacob had given him with even the hood covering his bald head. He undid the chain that Jacob had locked the night before, after angrily telling Seth to get away from him. The submissive scampered away afraid of having messed up the wonderful time they shared but most importantly afraid of getting punished for his boldness.

"Seth, what the heck is all this?" Asked Edward in a very hushed tone.

"My master rewarded me for finding Sophia." Seth's grin was infectious, to anyone it would seem like he barely received crumbs but to him it meant the world. Material possessions meant very little to him but the feeling behind them was the important thing. The submissive was as kind as he was selfless and repaid in gratitude even the smallest gesture.

"You mean to tell me you saved the life of the only future female of his whole pack and all he gave you is a fucking blanket and some old clothes?" Edward was furious; how dare Jacob treat Seth that way. He knew that in Jake's eyes Seth was nothing but a bug and felt the rage building inside his chest at the idea and the alpha being so ungrateful.

"It's fine Edward, the clothes are non-important. He was really nice to me last night even held me close to him until I warmed up. I think I leeched all the warmth from his body." Explained Seth apologetically.

"I'm going to talk to Billy about this. Something this important should grant you your freedom. You were extraordinary yesterday, nobody here could've accomplished what you did and he cannot just shrug it off like it's no big deal" Edward's spoke through clenched teeth, nostrils flared, face almost purple with anger and his fists closed so tight the knuckles looked white.

Seth rose to his knees and tried to control the wild horse galloping inside his chest. "Edward do you think so? But, but, but all I did was follow her scent and bring her back." He was struggling to organize his thoughts, in his fifteen years as a sub he had occasionally dreamt of one day being free. It was an unattainable dream but seeing and hearing Edward so sure of what he was saying made him feel it was a distinct possibility.

"Seth, you risked your life to save one of the most valued members of the pack, one that could very well grow up to marry Jacob. You're deserving of something as exceptional as your feat."

"Edward, I was resigned to dying a slave but to think that I could be free it's …. I don't know what to say, what to feel." Seth was rambling, not being able to coordinate his thoughts or create a lucid sentence.

"Seth calm down, your heart is beating so loud you're going to wake up your dominant. Not a word to Jacob, you don't want to give him the heads up. I'll talk to Billy today."

"Thank you Edward, you're a good friend."

"Don't thank me yet, let's see how it goes."

Seth proceeded with his morning routine, showering and maintaining himself to his master's specifications. The thought of freedom floated inside his head the whole time. He allowed himself to dream about things that he wouldn't dare dream before. The submissive caught his reflection in the mirror and instead of a slave he saw a free man living on his own with nobody to answer to. He caught himself smiling at the boy in the mirror, happy and full of hope.

Stepping out of the bathroom he noticed his master already having his breakfast. Seth sat behind him holding his bowl waiting to be fed. Jacob motioned for him to come forward and he was given his share of the food. They didn't exchange words; the master not even taking a glance in his submissive's direction. Seth sat quietly eating his breakfast slowly as to make it last. He was very hungry since he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the day before.

"Seth, there is still a small matter to settle. I didn't punish you yesterday for leaving the house without permission." Jacob stood up towering over Seth's shaking form by several feet. "Get something in your head, you're my submissive, you don't even breathe without my authorization. This is your last warning; you don't leave me… ever."

"Stand up!" Seth responded to Jacob's order by jumping to his feet without hesitating. The master circled his slave slowly, calculating, like a predator watching his prey. He finally situated himself beside Seth and pushed down his pants. Seth cringed at the idea of what was to come. Good bye nice master and hello beast.

Jacob lifted his hand and playfully slapped Seth's round bottom twice, once on each cheek. As Jake was walking towards his office he looked over his shoulder with a playful expression. "Consider yourself punished." The infernal smirk adorning his lips was both exasperating and endearing.

After knocking Edward entered Billy's office "How can I help you Edward?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you Billy, but this is important." Billy stopped working, laced his fingers together over his desk and waited for Edward to speak.

"I'll cut to the chase, I know you're aware of what happened yesterday with Sophia and the way Seth found her."

"Yes I do Ed"

"Don't you think something so heroic deserves a pardon? If it hadn't been for Seth we would've lost her; that would've been tragic, a mortal blow for our pack and to this house."

"I hadn't thought about it Edward but you have a very valid point. My only reservation is that this submissive has lasted longer than all the others put together. I wonder what's going on with my son."

"Seth is a remarkable slave; he works hard and never complains regardless of what Jacob puts him through. Of course Jake is happy with him he struck gold with this boy." Edward gave Billy his opinion as to the reasons for Jake's strange behavior. Strange for him that is, if it had been anybody else these actions would've been completely normal and expected.

"Edward is it me or Jake seems a little different?" Billy was hopeful that at last something was thawing his son icy interior.

"What do you mean Billy?"

"It's like he is mellowing, his anger is not as intense. In the past whenever he would walk in my office it was like a rabid dog was entering. With every passing day I see more and more the pup I raised. You have no idea how this makes me feel Edward."

"Yes he seems a little calmer, not a lot but enough to be noticeable." Both men pondered as to why Jacob was changing, neither one of them had a clue but both were happy for him and for the whole family.

"Edward, I'll begin the paperwork to grant Seth his freedom, can you please send one of the servants to tell Jacob I need to see him?"

Walking out of the office Edward could feel his chest swell with joy, Seth was free, if there was one good and decent thing he had accomplished in his life this had to be it. He was giddy as a schoolgirl as he told the servant to fetch Jacob. He would give everything he had to see Jacob's expression when his father informed him of his decision, it will be priceless.

"Dad what do you need me for?" Asked Jacob absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with more important thoughts.

"It was brought to my attention that what your submissive did yesterday was exceptional and worthy of him earning his freedom." The color drained from Jacob's face the instant he heard his father's statement. Who the hell squealed? He would have to make sure people minded their own business. There was no way in hell he was going to let go of his sub. He would do whatever was necessary to keep him.

"Who brought this _issue_ to your attention?" His father answered truthfully knowing very well that soon enough Jacob would find out. He had never lied to his son; there was no point on starting now.

"Edward should stay in the kitchen where he belongs and mind his own business." Uttered Jacob, the anger inside him threatening to explode like an unstable volcano.

"Son you know very well Ed is much more than a cook. Anyway that's not important; I decided to grant Seth his freedom. Since his documents state I gave him to you as a present you need to sign here to release him." Indicated Billy while pointing to the bottom of the document.

"NO!" Jacob's shout startled his father making him sit straighter in his chair and his intense gaze to fall on his son.

"What do you care Jacob? He is nothing but a dog to you. Actually I'm impressed he is still alive, gives me hope for you. Don't worry; I'll get you a new one. I said I wouldn't but you have proven to me that you can be somewhat human when you want to be." Billy shrugged nonchalantly as he continued to shuffle papers on his desk.

"I don't want a new one; this one is perfectly trained and knows how to satisfy me." Billy cringed internally knowing what his son meant by this. Knew how to satisfy him, what a joke! That little dog had no choice but comply with every dark and twisted desire his master submitted him too.

"Son, I have made my decision, you want to inform him or should I?" Billy had to ignore his son's expression. He didn't become Aleph by being weak minded and easily manipulated.

"I won't allow it." Stated Jacob openly defying his father.

"You and what army, _son_?" In just one word Billy poured all the contempt he felt toward his only child. "Before you answer and make a fool of yourself know that if given the option all the wolves here will side with me and you will be shamed and ignored. You reap what you sow, you planted derision and that's what you'll glean."

Jacob had to admit defeat; he would not accomplish anything by making demands or bullying his father. If he was to convince him he needed a completely new approach, the truth. He rounded his father's desk until he was situated right next to his father's chair. At that moment he was not the arrogant alpha everybody knew, he was a scared teenager about to lose his most precious possession. After gently placing his hand on his father's arm to prevent him from writing he allowed soft words to invade the space between them. "Please dad, I know he deserves to be free but I can't part with him, he is …. perfect for me."

Billy turned his head to the right to face his son, surprise and distrust dominating him. "What do you mean by perfect?"

Letting go of his father's arm Jacob walked toward the window where the afternoon sun was streaming in, bathing him with light as he stood languidly looking outside. "I can't explain it dad, since I got him I feel different. I'm not as angry, even the nightmares have subsided considerably."

"Then why do you still abuse him? If he is as important as you claim, you should treat him better."

"You're right I should, considering where I'm coming from I'm better, but I'm not there yet. Sometimes the anger gets the best of me and dad after all, he is a sub." Billy huffed in annoyance listening to Jacob's lame explanation and idiotic excuse. "You must be thinking that I'm making excuses to justify my behavior, maybe I am, what the hell do I know? All I can tell you is that I need him; I know I have a long road ahead of me but having him by my side will make it easier. I don't …. deserve him; that much I know. He is the kindest gentlest creature I've ever met, if there is one person who can save me it's him. Don't ask me how I know this because I really don't know the answer, it's just a gut feeling."

"Jake I don't know, it's very unfair that just because you need a punching bag and a whore to fuck he has to suffer. That man paid his dues already, he is done suffering. I have an idea; I'll give him his freedom but offer him a job here at the house. You can still pursue him and seek his companionship, and who knows maybe you'll end up having a relationship." After Jacob's heartfelt argument Billy was very hopeful, his son was definitely different.

It was Jacob's turn to scoff at his father's words. "Yeah right, like he would give me a chance. Once he has his papers on hand he will high tail it out of here faster than I can say his name. Dad please I'm begging you, don't take him away from me." Walking back to his father Jacob knelt with one knee on the floor while he leaned down placing his forehead on the armrest. Billy was overwhelmed with compassion toward his son. He knew he needed to do the right thing by Seth but when having to make a choice he would always side with his son. Lifting his hand he ran it over his son's soft hair, at that moment all he could see was the innocent boy he raised. His big brown eyes filled with wonder, his beautiful smile and infectious laugh so similar to his beloved Sarah's.

"Please dad give me your word that you're not taking him away from me; please dad, swear." Jacob begged in a very uncharacteristic way, he was ready to cry, beg, and plead, whatever it took to keep Seth by his side.

"Ok Jake you have my word, I'll keep this document, I will not destroy it, I have a feeling I'll need it." Billy hoped his son was being sincere but was doubtful. He was neither dumb or naïve, Jacob could easily be using his feelings toward him to make him go against his better judgment. It wouldn't be the first time Jacob lied through his teeth to obtain what he wanted.

After thanking his father Jacob exited his office to go back to his room. But before he sequestered himself once more to those four walls he needed to take a small detour. There was a small matter to settle. Entering the kitchen he was greeted by Edward's guarded eyes, the alpha rarely came into the kitchen, if he was there Edward knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

"I'll cut to the chase Edward, the next time you stand between me and my sub you're going to regret it. Stay here where you belong and mind your own business or else."

"Or else what?" Asked Edward defiantly.

"Or I'll be more than happy to rearrange your face and show you who the boss is."

"Jacob if you think I'll scurry away to a corner like one of your minions or take your shit because I have no other choice, you have another thing coming. You think you're a big deal when in reality you're nothing but a coward and a bully. Since you don't have the balls to earn people's respect you resort to intimidation and abuse." Edward turned his back towards Jacob who stayed in his spot flabbergasted and angry. "No wonder your father is ashamed of you."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Jake moved so fast he became blurry. He charged towards Edward like a blood thirsty bull, missing him by an inch when Ed sidestepped to the left and moved off his destructive path. Edward punched Jacob just below the sternum knocking the wind out of him. That was a costly mistake; everybody knows that whoever throws the first punch is at a disadvantage. Edward allowed the rage to take over leaving him open to any attack. Jacob obliged him with a sidekick directed at Ed's stomach doubling him over at the same time that a powerful uppercut connected with the cook's jaw, throwing him flat of his back. Jacob went for the kill moving quickly towards Edward who surprised the alpha by wrapping his feet around Jacob's leg making him lose balance and fall on his side. Edward planted both hands on the ground and sprung up landing on his feet. He barely had time to dodge when Jacob directed one of his boot donned feet at his head. The movement had been carefully calculated and using the momentum Jacob landed his other foot right of Edward's face making him step back onto the wall. As a testament to his experience in battle even though he was still recovering his wits Edward kept the presence of mind to roll on the wall effectively evading Jacob's right fist that ended up colliding with the wall and making a sizable dent. Before the dust had even reached the floor Edward punished Jacob's flank with successive punches each one pushing Jacob out closer to the hallway. In an effort to protect himself Jacob crouched down and surprised Edward by exploding from the ground grabbing him by the waist and pushing him head first onto the wall. Edward's head plowed through the plaster and wood of the wall with a painful crunching sound, sending splinters and drywall in all directions.

"Jacob Ephrain Black, freeze!" Roared Billy as he walked towards the battling pair, the double timbre of the alpha command making everybody within an earshot wince. "What the hell are you doing? Edward are you ok?"

"I'm fine" Answered Edward while pressing the palm of his hand to the side of his head, he was bruised but not bloody.

"Is this about the sub?" Edward nodded while Jacob glared between him and his father, the alpha command weighing him down.

"How can you allow things to drag this low? Two alphas fighting over a submissive? Never in all my years had I thought I would hear something so ridiculous."

"Jacob is fucking insane, I'm so happy that boy is leaving this place forever." Stated Edward with a mocking smirk.

"Newsflash Eddie, that boy is not going anywhere." Retaliated Jacob. The color disappeared from Edward's face as he looked uncertainly at Billy.

"He is right Edward, I gave him my word." Explained Billy embarrassed at having been manipulated by his only son. Truth be told that he could've just as easily gone back on his word seeing that Jacob had played him. Unfortunately or not he was a man of his word, even if that word was coaxed off him using deceit.

"This is bullshit!" Edward was livid "You know as well as I do that the minute he steps back in that room he is going to kill him."

"He won't Edward."

"Yes he will, it's not like Seth will be his first victim. But you know what? I don't blame him as much as I blame you. He acts the way he does because you enable him, you make lightly of every barbaric act he commits. What's going to take to make you get your head out of your ass long enough to see what he is? Your son is a beast, a monster!" Yelled Edward at the top of his voice.

"I will not kill him Edward." Stated Jacob dryly.

"That's left to be seen; Seth knows I tried." At this Jacob cocked an eyebrow, to anybody he would seem calm, but inside him a storm was brewing its devastating power. Seth knew all about this, the son of a bitch was in it the whole time.

"Good bye Billy, I'm done with this house, especially with your bastard of a son." Edward turned in his heels and started walking in the direction of his room without looking back.

No more words were exchanged and the embarrassing incident left a bitter taste in the mouths of everybody involved. Without looking at his son, Billy walked after Edward. He would not engage him at that exact moment but he would do everything in his power to convince him to stay. Jacob stalked towards his room readying himself to face Judas. In his sick twisted mind he saw Seth as a Judas that betrayed him and sold him to his enemy.

The fact that he even cared was mindboggling. Jacob only cared about one opinion, his father's, and he was painfully aware of what his father thought of him. In the nightmares that tortured him every night he could see the look of disappointment in his father's face. The fact that Jacob was a coward didn't escape him. The idea that the son of the Aleph was a weak foolish little boy was present in everybody's mind. Jacob's weakness had been fatal, it cost everybody dearly, especially him. It was proved that Jacob couldn't be counted on.

To Jake everybody else's opinion meant shit, but the submissives opinions meant even less. It was like caring what a gimpy, mangy dog thought of you. The fact of the matter was that Seth's involvement in the whole situation hurt him, he trusted the little dog, fuck he took care of him, gave him warmth and some of his own clothes. With every thought his anger kept rising, he was going to hurt Seth, after he was done with the insignificant piece of shit there wouldn't be anything left of him but a stain on the floor.

Oblivious to everything that permeated between his master and the others, Seth hummed absentmindedly as he cleaned the baseboards. He didn't want to be hopeful, but the possibility that at the end of the day he could be a free man filled him with hope. He smiled while making a mental list of everything he was going to do once he was granted his freedom. The first thing he wanted to do was run, to run like he had never been allowed to do. He wanted to see the ocean and decided follow the coast as he went south in an attempt to find his sister. Seth knew she was engaged to a very powerful man from South America. They were probably already married since they were desperately in love the last time he saw her. He wondered how many kids Leah had been able to have; he hoped they were a lot. Seth adored children; he would never be a father seeing that submissives were sterile; some could become pregnant making them the most sought after creatures in the planet, but never the other way around. Even if he could impregnate someone, submissives were not allowed to claim a female and mating with another submissive was out of the question. But being an uncle was something he could do very well.

Seth's mind was a thousand miles away when his master walked in the room. "What the hell did you think you were going to achieve by blabbering to Edward? The only way you will ever leave this house is when you cold lifeless body is dragged outside to be burned." Jacob's voice reached Seth's ears filling him with fear. In three big lunges Jacob stood before Seth and without even giving him a chance to breathe backhanded him so hard the sub fell backwards.

"You damn dog, what the fuck possessed you? Answer me!"

"I didn't say anything to Edward master."

"So you're telling me this was Edward's idea?" Questioned Jacob while watching as a deep bruise formed on Seth's face. Jacob was already feeling guilty. Why did he have this sick need to hurt the only person in the world that provided him with joy? Seth knew it was futile to deny what his master already knew to be true. He didn't want to throw Ed under the bus but his allegiance was first with his master. It didn't matter that Jacob was a heartless son of a bitch, he couldn't lie to him. When it came to obedience Seth was nothing but a drone. After kneeling before his master Seth nodded as an answer to Jacob's question.

"You didn't ask him to go to my father?" Asked Jacob getting more confused with each passing second. Seth shook his head from side to side as his only answer.

As it always happened, Jacob felt like the worthless piece of shit he was. With the pad of his thumb he cleaned a trickle of blood emanating from Seth's busted lip. He felt like his heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand that reached inside his chest to torture him. He agonized as the feeling of impotence and shame filled him. In the past he wouldn't have given the submissive even a chance to inhale before breaking his neck. For better or for worse Seth was different. Jacob secretly hoped this had all been a misunderstanding. He paced back and forth while tugging his hair at the roots. If he could've reached into his mind to spoon out all the sadistic ideas that dominated him he would've. He was so conflicted; it was like there were two people living inside his body. The one that was always present was the despicable dominating son of a bitch. Every once in a while the other one would peek around the huge boulder it always hid behind. That was the good twin, the caring loving child his mother tucked in at night and loved unconditionally. The boy with big brown eyes and soft black hair his father lived proud of, raving about him every chance he got.

Unable to look at Seth any longer Jacob hid in his office. His mouth was filled with bile and acid ran through his veins. If he didn't stay away from the slave he risked losing it in front of him. At least he had not killed his slave, how many others would've survived if he had given them a chance to explain, not shoot first and ask questions later.

One by one Seth said goodbye to all his hopes and dreams as each one turned into dust and was blown away by the soft wind. He walked to his bathroom where he examined his face and spilt a few tears, not for the bruise, those were a daily happening for him. Every time he closed his eyes tears flowed forth to wash away the freedom that begun to creep inside him. He should know better, he was born to be a slave and he would die a slave.

After a few minutes voices alerted Seth to the presence of visitors. He ran to his spot and kneeled down as was expected of him. He recognized the voices as belonging to Emily and Paul, by her scent he knew that Sophia's was there too. They were whispering, their voices so low that even with his enhanced hearing Seth couldn't discern what they were saying.

"I'll give him the message." Stated Jacob slightly annoyed. He didn't appreciate having visitors and only tolerated the pack in his room for their weekly meeting.

"Jake we want to thank him. I was so happy yesterday that didn't even look his way when he came in. Sophia has not stopped talking about him. Your submissive really left an impression on her. She baked him some sugar cookies and even drew him a picture." Emily only had eyes for her daughter, after coming so close to losing her less than twenty hours before she didn't want to spend one minute without enjoying her company. Paul carried her like she was not meant to touch the floor ever again. Sophia had her daddy wrapped around her little finger and Paul was more than happy to spoil her.

"They're yummy; mommy helped me make them." Seth felt the corners of his mouth creep upwards as the little girl's voice reached him.

"Seth is busy and so am I, please go." Jacob was assertive but respectful to Emily.

"Emily you heard the man, let him get back to his work."

Paul turned to walk out of the room when Emily's angry voice stopped him. "Why doesn't it surprise me that you would say that? God forbid you go against your alpha even if he is acting like a dick." Emily was never one to be shy with words; her tongue was as sharp and venomous as a snake's. She understood her position in the hierarchy and took advantage of it without abusing her power. Paul huffed in annoyance and ignoring his wife's words kept walking.

Jacob made an effort to remain calm for Emily's and Sophia's sake. He was a number one asshole to most people but he honored, respected and veneered women as the givers of life and the future of humanity. "Maybe in some other occasion." Jacob's words came out more like a growl than anything else.

Something clicked in Emily's mind and with wide eyes she searched Jacob's face for the answer to a question she didn't want to ask. Just like everybody else she was well aware of Jacob's cruelty and instability. She avoided coming to the house because she could swear the house stunk from the blood of the alpha's victims. Every time she saw the yellowish grey smoke she knew that one more innocent victim had gone to the land of their ancestors. Many times she asked Paul to move away, feeling like her daughter should be as far away as possible from such a toxic individual as Jacob. Every time she was convinced by Paul and Billy to stay. Their logic made much sense; she had to put in a balance the benefits of raising her daughter away from Jacob versus the unnecessary risk of living without the pack's protection.

With all the commotion she didn't know if Seth had been asked to go look for Sophia but she doubted it. If he had gone without his master's authorization there was the distinct possibility that Seth was either dead or dying from his injuries. "Jacob, he _is _still around, right?"

Understanding shone on Jacob's face before he answered. "He is fine Emily." He answered curtly.

"Then why can't Sophia see him?" It was a cheap shot but she didn't last for so long among all the dominating, possessive wolves by being stupid. Dominants could be easily managed with the right words.

"Please Uncle Jay, he is my friend." Asked Sophia in her piping voice.

"Sorry sweetie, not today." Jake had no intention of letting Sophia see Seth. The submissive was his, only his and he was not willing to share him with anyone… not even with a little girl.

"Daddyyyyyy" Whined Sophia her eyes swimming in the moisture that was rapidly accumulating.

"C'mon man, it's my kid we're talking about; we'll be in and out." Even though Paul was a very proud man he pleaded to his alpha, he would do anything for his daughter not matter how humiliating, painful or difficult.

Sophia reached out with her small soft hand and touched Jacob's face giving him her best smile. If Jacob refused her gesture he indeed had a heart made of rock and wrapped in barbed wire. "Fuck…" He mumbled as he signaled the trio to follow him.

"Seth!" Exclaimed Sophia as she wriggled out of her father's arms. Running to the sub with a slight limp she threw herself at him with her small arms wrapped around his neck. Paul growled loudly in disgust and as a warning to Seth. Her sweet angel hugging a disgusting dog made him cringe internally. The submissive on the other hand remained motionless uncertain as to how to proceed. Paul's warning was clear and he had not been given permission to interact with anybody.

Sophia pulled back to look at her new friend whose gaze never crossed hers. Seth kept his eyes glued to the floor and his hands by his sides, his behavior was puzzling. "Mommy I don't think he likes me anymore." She was starting to get teary eyed and looked at her mother for comfort. Her innocent mind couldn't make heads or tails of Seth's conduct.

Initially Emily didn't pay attention to her daughter; her eyes were fixated on the thick chain bolted to the wall. Her brows pinched together as she realized she had never been to that part of Jacob's room. She had seen the subs on several occasions but never wandered so close to that part of hell. She closed her fists in frustration and breathed deeply to stay calm.

She regained her composure enough to glare at Jacob before speaking. "Jacob Black…" By her tone both dominants in the room knew two things, one she meant business and two she was pissed.

"Seth you can say hello to Sophia." The submissive's eyes met Sophia's and he gave her a sweet smile that she happily returned.

"Hello sweetie." Greeted Seth while surrounding her with his arms and tucking a kiss onto her hair.

Paul growled loudly and motioned to remove his daughter from Seth's arms but was stopped by his wife. "What's your problem?" Asked Emily.

"I can't stand to see his filthy hands on my daughter; I don't know how you can stand it."

"Are you for real Paul Lahote? This _filthy_ sub carried your daughter through the snow. His _filthy_ hands held her, keeping her close to his chest to keep her warm. He risked his _filthy_ life to save our daughter. In my opinion there are two disgusting males in this room and he is _not_ one of them"

"Emily I've never disrespected you, control your mouth." Warned Jacob.

Noticing how Sophia crept closer to Seth Emily kept quiet; that was a discussion she will revisit sooner than later. It was obvious they were upsetting her daughter and that was the last thing she wanted. Emily's expression softened the instant her eyes fell on her daughter's sweet features. She was sitting on Seth's right leg while resting against his chest. "Uncle Jay what's that?" She pointed to Seth's chain.

"That's Seth's chain, it attaches to his collar, he is a slave and slaves sleep chained to the wall." He volunteered the information knowing very well how she would just keep asking questions. He had been submitted to Sophia's interrogations in the past; once she got started she wouldn't stop. Maybe this way she would be persuaded not to start at all.

"This thing gets very cold, it made my hands hurt. Uncle Jay, take this off please." She tapped Seth's collar with her index finger.

"I can't Sophia it's against the law." She frowned and shrugged apologetically. Being an army brat one thing she understood was the importance of following orders and obeying the law. In a world without government it was indispensable to abide to the rules to prevent chaos. Seth held her hand softly and mouthed _it's ok_. It was incredible that at such a tender age she had more common-sense and sensibility than most grown-ups.

The bruise on Seth's face caught her attention and she brought her hand up to run it over his tender skin making him flinch. "You have a boo boo, did you fall?" She asked innocently. Seth panicked not knowing how to answer, he couldn't lie to her but he couldn't unmask her uncle for what he really was. The submissive decided to redirect her, trying to shift her attention away from him.

"What's this?" Seth pointed to a colorful crumpled drawing she held in her hand. It worked and in no time she was describing in detail everything in her picture, from the flowers with happy faces in the center to the red sun and the purple clouds. It was beautiful and filled with imagination.

"I made it for you, I also made you cookies." Emily handed her the container which Sophia gave to Seth.

"Thank you Sophia." Seth took the container and set it next to him on the floor. He wouldn't dare take one in front of his master. Jacob had made it very clear that all his sustenance must come from him.

"Try them; mama helped me make them to thank you for finding me."

"I had a big lunch; can I save them for later?" Seth made the call and decided that lying to Sophia was necessary and excusable.

"Okey dokey, oh…" Sophia stretched from her spot to kiss Seth's bruise, everybody in the room was certain she had forgotten about it and everybody in the room was wrong. "I forgot to kiss the boo boo to make it go away, you didn't tell me, did you fall on your face?" She giggled amused with herself.

Emily couldn't stand it any longer; she had been controlling her temper, but felt indignant knowing very well where Seth's bruise came from. The whole time she had been sitting across from Seth on the floor all she saw was a tortured man who instead of being bitter and angry was polite and tender with her daughter. It was not fair that such a gentle soul had to suffer at the hands of a monster. "No baby girl he didn't fall on his face, Jacob hit him. Didn't you Uncle Jay?" She spat at him while looking at her husband daring him to come to the defense of his alpha.

Jacob's eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him. "Uncle Jay why did you hit Seth?" Asked Sophia, her voice cracking.

"I do not have to explain myself to anybody, not even your mother." Hissed Jacob, his face red, an undertone of blind fury enveloping him.

"You see sweetie some people believe that hurting others just because they are different is acceptable…" Emily was interrupted by her husband who moved towards Sophia to take her away.

"Ok baby say goodbye to your uncle we've intruded long enough."

Instead of going to her father Sophia held on to Seth with her arms around his neck. Her tears were flowing freely ending up on his shirt. "Jay you're a bad man! I don't want you to be my uncle anymore!" Yelled Sophia almost chocking on her words. Paul ripped her out of Seth's arms and ran out of the room with the screaming child in his arms.

The thing was that Sophia was right, Jacob was a bad man. He didn't deserve to be loved by anyone; he didn't deserve the love and devotion of a little girl. Even scary monsters deserve a chance and somebody to help them redeem themselves, but Jacob was too far gone. Was Jacob the product of a cruel world? Or was the world a product of men like him whose only morality was survival of the fittest? The reality was that they all had it wrong, survival depended on their ability to adapt and that's where they failed. Instead of adapting to their new reality they adopted the worst of the old world.

Feeling defeated and exhausted Jacob plopped himself onto one of the dining set chairs. The dim winter light illuminated his back as he hid his face behind his hands. Sophia's words had been like a sharp dagger ripping his soul in half. Part of him wanted to admit he was wrong and make things right. The other half just wanted to say _fuck this shit_ and do whatever it wanted. Jacob felt Seth's eyes on him; from the short distance the warmth of his gaze was tangible.

"What do you want? Stop fucking looking at me! You have something to say? Say it now, apparently everybody wants to put their two cents in to let me know the kind of mother fucker I am." Yelled Jacob.

"Master you are not a bad man." Stated Seth from his spot on the floor.

"Slave are you stupid or are you trying to butter me up? I'm a fucking monster with no redeeming qualities. Even a four year old can see that. Why can't you?" Jacob's voice faltered, emotionally drained and morally bankrupt.

"I see you master and I know you are not a monster. Even the gentlest creatures' attacks when they feel cornered and you master have been cornered far too long."


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to all of you who favorite, alerted and reviewed this story. You guys rock!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 12**

Jake laid awake on his bed, refusing to open his eyes to begin another pain filled day. The events of the previous day hung heavily in his mind. Why couldn't his submissive hate him? Everybody else did. Seth was the person with the most reason to wish him a slow painful death, but instead he comforted and understood him. Even though his slave didn't speak much, every time he opened his mouth his words of wisdom shook Jacob to his core.

Even after sleeping a full night he was still exhausted. The nightmares had been unforgiving and relentless, maybe it was a way for fate to make him pay for all the repulsive things he had done. He had devoted his life to torturing all those that reminded him of his own weakness and that in return had made his life a living hell. Every day he hated himself even more and questioned why he was kept on this earth. The only person who showed him compassion was only repaid with pain and abuse; that had to be an all-time low, even for him.

The fact that aside from his submissive's scent there was no other smell in the room caught Jake's attention. Usually the moment he opened his eyes the aroma of breakfast had permeated all over the room. Additionally he couldn't hear the shower; unless he had overslept and Seth was already done there was something out of the ordinary going on. Jacob liked his routines; it was one of the things that kept him sane, knowing what to expect and when to expect it took uncertainty away from the equation.

Jacob propped himself on one elbow to look in Seth's direction. Seth knelt on his usual spot having noticed the change in his master's breathing pattern when he awoke. "Why are you still there? And more importantly, where is my breakfast?" Asked Jacob letting out a huff of breath.

"Edward didn't come in the room yet, I'm still chained to the wall master." Explained Seth, his voice loud enough so his master would hear him, but low enough so it wouldn't be considered disrespectful.

"What time is it?"

"It's almost ten in the morning master" Jacob sucked in a breath as he climbed off the bed to undo Seth's chain. Taking the key that hung around his neck which coincidentally was the only item on his body, he reached the lock in Seth's collar to unlock it. While doing this his arm grazed Seth's shoulder sending a wave of what could only be described as pleasurable electricity that reached all the way to his heart. His eyes searched for Seth's only to face the downcast face of his submissive as he humbly kept his gaze on the floor.

"Damn it I wasted the whole morning. There is no time for you to shower now. Hurry up and go to the bathroom, I need to get something to eat." Seth scampered to the bathroom where he took care of the basics before walking back to the room.

The pair walked silently to the kitchen, the hallways eerily quiet for that time of the day. As they walked in they were taken aback by the huge disgusting mess. There was a pile of dirty dishes in the sink that overflowed to the counter beside it. Dirty pots and pans covered every single burner on the six burner stove. "Fuck! I swear I'm surrounded by pigs not wolves. Seth, start cleaning this mess while I make something to eat."

Jacob pushed aside plates and cups that were scattered all over the counters and began cracking the eggs he had just taken out of the refrigerator. Soon enough he realized he was totally hopeless when it came to cooking, unable to even crack an egg without making it explode like a firecracker. Hearing his master's never ending swearing session Seth took a sideways glance to observe as Jacob fruitlessly tried to figure out the simple task of cracking an egg. Taking pity on his master Seth moved toward him and stood silently beside him.

Seth was tickled pink watching the almighty alpha crash and burn with something so simple. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from laughing. Unfortunately this didn't go unnoticed by the unstable wolf beside him "What are you looking at? You think this is funny?" he said pointing at the splatter around the bowl.

"It's not funny master" Answered Seth with a barely contained smile. It was Jacob's turn to make an effort not to smile; his sub's innocence was evident in everything he did. He was a simple individual without any false pretenses. There were so many things about his submissive that Jacob found fascinating, like his ability to smile even under the dire circumstances that surrounded his daily life. The dominant didn't know that if the roles were reversed if he would be as strong as Seth was.

"If you like I can cook for you." Seth offered from the goodness of his heart without innuendo or brownnosing.

"So you think you can do better than me? I should find this offensive; that a dog believes he is superior to me in something is both laughable and ridiculous. I'll humor you, if you prepare a breakfast up to my standards I'll reward you with, mmmm let me think. I know, you can eat half of everything you make. If the food is beyond my expectations you will have an extra reward. But if the food tastes like shit, you'll go hungry and be sure as the day is long that you will be punished." Seth took Jacob's place, cracking the eggs, showing his experience by using only one hand and in no time he had the food cooking. He was afraid about the nature of the extra reward but was determined to make his master a bitchin' breakfast. Jacob sat on one of the stools and observed each one of Seth's movements. The submissive felt his master's uncomfortable stare as he worked. To Jacob it was fascinating to observe Seth's fluid movements, his petite form effortlessly going from one task to the other.

Soon enough Seth presented his master with a feast worthy of a king. Jacob brought the first spoonful of food to his mouth and tasted what could only be described as a little piece of heaven. He had never tasted eggs cooked that way with tomatoes, ham, onions and tomato sauce. Something in the flavor reminded him of his submissive or maybe it was because he knew Seth had cooked them. The rest of the breakfast consisted or breakfast potatoes and waffles with blueberry jam. The submissive felt proud that he had been able to satisfy his master somewhere outside of the bedroom, he shouldn't care but he did. As promised, Seth was told to get half of everything he made but he only took a small portion being used to eating very little. Jacob noticed but did not bother to say anything, Seth was given the option; it was his problem if he didn't take advantage of it. The submissive sat on the floor beside his master to enjoy brunch.

As on cue Billy came in the kitchen eyeing his son sardonically. "Where did all this food come from?" Billy was just making conversation, he knew the only way would've been by Seth making it seeing as his son was useless in the kitchen.

"He cooked it." Said Jacob pointing at Seth "There is plenty, want some?"

"Don't mind if I do"

"Dog, get my father a plate." Seth jumped to his feet moving quickly towards the cupboards to search for a clean plate. There were not many clean plates left and the sink was overflowing with dishes. He would need to get to them as soon as possible.

Billy filled his plate and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. "This is pretty good."

"I know, dad when is Edward coming back?" Asked Jacob not worried for the cook's whereabouts but for his next meal.

"I have no idea, I tried to convince him yesterday but he was pretty pissed off and left anyway." Seth stiffened in his spot on the floor. One of his only friends and protectors had left; he wondered what was the reason behind such rash decision as far as he knew Edward was happy living at the Black's. "Son, if you apologized we could solve this and have him back for dinner."

"Pfft no way, he is a dick who got what was coming to him. He had no right to meddle in my business." Scoffed Jacob.

"Son, he was not the only dick here yesterday. You acted like the arrogant, selfish and manipulative asshole you are." Seth had to hold back the growl that started to brew in his chest. He didn't remember ever reacting in such a way, not even when the insults were directed at him. But hearing Billy throw a litany of insults at his master rubbed him the wrong way.

"Gee dad, don't hold back. Tell me how you really feel." Jacob tried to hide his hurt behind a veil of sarcasm while looking at his father defiantly.

"Jake you know how I feel, I just wished that you would be my son again, not this stranger who lives under my roof. Anyway since you made your mind about being an ass wipe I can very well do the same." Billy moved to the side to look at Seth who sat partially hidden by his master's massive form. "Seth, unless you hear otherwise you will be the cook, there are two servants that come to do the dishes and gather supplies but you will remain here and make our three meals."

Jacob's expression was one of surprise and rage; he looked at his father with nothing but disdain. "No, he is my submissive, his place is with me." He stated calmly.

"Jake I'm getting tired of repeating myself. I bought him, his papers are under my name, his last name was changed to Black because of me, not you. Get it in your fucking thick head, what I say goes and I'm ordering him to remain in the kitchen and only go to your bedroom at night."

"Father." Billy knew he got under his son's skin since the only times he called him father was when he was livid. "Do you think it will be safe for him to be in this kitchen all day with the amount of dominants that come in here? There won't be any cooking getting done, he will be bent over this table and fucked by every single wolf."

"And how is that any different from being with you, _son_?"

"I'm only one; at any given time there are three to five wolves in this kitchen. They could kill him."

"Give him some credit if he has survived living with you for four months, he is stronger than he appears. I'm not discussing this any further, comply or just as easy I can take that document and override your signature." That said Billy stood up and exited the kitchen, leaving his son fuming in his seat angry at being treated unfairly and honestly worried for his submissive's well-being.

Before leaving the kitchen Jacob ordered Seth to stay put and do his job, forbidding him from going back to the room until he came to get him. Seth welcomed the most needed change of pace. He had no idea when he would tend to his duties in his master's bedroom but decided to enjoy the break. What was perplexing was the fact that every wolf that came in the kitchen gave him wide berth, not even one of them bothering him the least bit. What was odd and unnecessary were his master's constants visits to the kitchen to check on him. There was something seriously wrong with that wolf if he couldn't realize that if his submissive didn't escape when he had the chance, why he would even try it with a house full of people?

He busily worked the rest of the morning well into the afternoon. The day was passing really fast with Seth keeping himself more than busy making bread and cookies, even a cake. Two servants had come in to do the dishes and clean the mess left by God only knew who. He was preparing the second batch of cake when his master walked in to again check on him. "What are you making?" Asked the master.

Seth paused beating the contents of the bowl, setting the container on the counter. "A cake master, there is no dessert."

"Damn it Seth stick with the basics! Are you doing this on purpose to stay here instead of in the bedroom where you belong?"

"Not at all master, hum…" Seth hesitated before continuing. "I know you like cake and decided to make one."

Jacob smirked thoroughly amused with his submissive's behavior and willingness to please him. "So this cake is for me?" For reasons beyond Jacob's comprehension Seth took it upon himself to make up for his absence. His submissive was as kind as he was sweet.

"Yes master" Answered Seth shyly and embarrassed. Jake looked at the buttery mixture and licked his lips wondering how it tasted. Grabbing Seth's hand he dipped one of the submissive's fingers in the batter and brought it to his lips, sucking greedily the sugary goodness.

Seth followed the path from the bowl to his master's full lips feeling the breath get caught in his throat when his master's pink tongue peeked out and his finger was engulfed in the moist warmth of his master's mouth. He could feel his master's breath against his skin. His soft lips against his finger as his moist tongue swirled around his digit. Jacob moaned against Seth's finger while looking at his submissive through his eyelashes.

"Tastes good master?" Asked Seth, Jacob nodded, then stuck his own finger in the batter and coated it liberally. He offered it to his slave who hesitatingly licked it creating a batter free line.

"You can do better than that Seth, I know for a fact how good you are at sucking." Jacob had an infernal smirk adorning his face and mischief danced in his brown eyes. Seth slowly sucked his master's finger into his mouth. His tongue twirled around the digit, Jacob's eyes glazing over as he watched Seth's able mouth at work.

Jacob moved so that he pressed Seth into the counter while rubbing his very evident hard-on on his submissive. The master brushed his lips against Seth's neck making him emit a small whimper. Jacob rubbed Seth's hip with one hand while the other held him by the back of the neck and his lips tasted the skin of the slave. Never before he had bothered to do anything except derive pleasure from his submissives but he soon realized that giving Seth pleasure and hearing his mewls and hushed moans had an effect even stronger that any amount of sex. Jacob felt his own cock twitch fantasizing about hearing Seth gasp and small cries leave his mouth.

Jacob pulled back from his submissive after hearing his father's voice coming down the hallway. He had no intention of being chastised by his father for using his slave any way he saw fit. The master sat on one of the stools, unable to walk due to his very notable erection. When his father entered the kitchen he frowned looking at the pair. He had sensed the scent of their arousal and was sure his son had been molesting his slave. Not even willing to share the space with his son he turned around and exited the kitchen.

After dinner Seth was escorted by Jacob to the bedroom where he was ordered to shower and ready himself to serve his master. Jacob could barely wait while Seth showered and started stroking himself in anticipation. Seth didn't even bother getting dressed and was taken by his master who before he could settle on the bed was buried deep inside him.

As days passed Jacob grew increasingly irritated, his father showed no sign of budging in his decree. According to Jacob, Billy was being unreasonable because of his insistence on his son apologizing to Edward. Seth was caught in the middle of all the drama taking place between the three alphas, the submissive feared the moment when it would catch up with him and he would invariably pay for something he had no control over. He was already feeling the wrath of his master who used every opportunity to make unreasonable demands and harsh comments about everything that his slave did.

"Hey buddy!" Greeted Quil, Seth smiled at his friend who took a seat without coming too close to the submissive. "I go away for a few days and come back to find that all hell broke loose in my absence. I was already briefed on what you did; man you're full of surprises, aren't you? That shit between Jacob and Ed was intense. They have never been the best of friends but they were not enemies either, I guess everybody gets fed up at some point and Ed reached his limit."

"My master told me he left after they had a fight about me. Ed wanted Billy to give me my freedom and Jacob opposed." Seth sighed simply, without pretenses and resigned to his destiny.

"I know, the guys were telling me how strange Jake has behaved since you have been doing the cooking. He keeps coming in here for no reason, even went as far as ordering all the wolves to stay away from you. Not even I can approach you. You see Seth, Jake never gives alpha orders unless we're in battle and him going to such extremes is really baffling. The kitchen servants are shaking in their skivvies since your master told them they were as good as dead if they laid a finger on you." Seth was flabbergasted incredulous as to what Quil was saying. He had noticed his master checking on him many times a day. Even though in the back of his head he thought his master was protecting him in his own way, he refused to believe such thing was possible. But apparently he was indeed protecting him.

"Seth what the hell are you doing to your master? Every day he is acting stranger, even for him. Do you know where he is today?" The submissive shook his head from side to side indicating he had no idea. He only knew his master had left right after breakfast. "He is talking to Edward, the most arrogant, self-centered and proud man that ever lived is determined to beg if necessary. Is not that he is so crazy about having Ed back, his only motivation is having you all to himself." Quil wouldn't dare share with Seth his thoughts about his master's bizarre behavior. There was no point on giving the submissive hope for something he was not even sure of.

Later that day Edward walked in the kitchen and was immediately greeted by the kitchen staff and by a smiling Seth. The submissive had mixed feelings about seeing his friend back. In one hand he missed his friend and protector. In the other his return meant that he would go back to serving his master full time. Truth be told that since Seth started working on the kitchen Jacob had been considerate and understanding. They still had sex every day but Seth was not required to give himself to his master two or three times a day like he had been.

"Hey pup I heard you're doing a great job keeping these pigs fed." Edward was in an excellent mood and seeing him so happy erased any sadness about his return. "This morning I couldn't believe it when Jacob showed up. My surprise was even bigger when he apologized and asked me to come back. Never in a thousand years would I've thought he would do something like that. Since I had the ball on my court I made my return conditional that you will still come to the kitchen a few hours at least three times a week. Any time away from him is good."

Seth felt like jumping for joy, he couldn't show how he felt fearing the servant would go to his master and distort anything he said and get him in trouble. He was content with squeezing Edwards hand lightly before leaving the kitchen to bring his master his meal. The room was completely dark, the only light originating from Jacob's office. After setting the table he went to his master's office standing quietly by the door waiting for his master to acknowledge his presence.

"About time you came back." Stated Jacob without lifting his eyes from the papers scattered all over the desk. "I'm starving and horny as fuck, I hope you're ready because it's going to be a long night." Both master and slave moved to the table where Jacob spooned some food in Seth's bowl and proceeded to eat the rest.

After dinner Jacob ordered Seth to shower and ready himself to please him in every possible way. The submissive had been delusional when he thought his master, after experiencing his absence, would be more pleasant. Judging by Jacob behavior the last few days Seth was sure he was making a turn for the best. Unfortunately that was not the case, quite the opposite, he seemed to have regressed to the same behavior, basically angry bordering in psychotic.

Seth stood once more at the door to his master's office. What he saw filled him with compassion towards his master. Jacob just sat there with his forehead resting on his hands and his elbows resting on the desk. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, without the hope of anybody lightening his load. He was as forlorn as an abandoned puppy wandering around, alone and scared.

The submissive wished he knew what was troubling Jacob so much. Of course he wouldn't dare ask and resigned himself with taking care of the consequences regardless of the cause. "Master?" Seth spoke hesitantly his voice barely audible.

"What" Jacob sounded exasperated but his expression was one of controlled desperation.

"May I approach you?" Jacob nodded intrigued by his submissive odd request.

Seth stood beside his master who just kept looking forward, almost like he was pretending not to see him. The submissive extended his trembling hand to touch his master's naked shoulder. Scared of Jacob's reaction he recoiled twice before placing his small hand on the massive deltoid. Feeling the slightly colder hand on him Jacob turned his head to look at his submissive who looked positively terrified. Seth breathed a sigh of relief when his master placed his face once more on his hands and relaxed under Seth's touch. That action gave the slave the confidence to stand a little closer and place his other hand on his master's other shoulder and squeeze gently.

Beginning in the lower shoulder area Seth rubbed the palm of his hands across the shoulders in a circular motion. Using gentle pressure he kneaded the shoulders that at that point felt like they were made of stone. With his thumbs Seth drew small circles each one drawing closer and closer to the neck. The submissive's hands moved in tandem, each one mirroring the other. Increasing the pressure slightly he proceeded up and down his master's shoulder blades. Seth kept a close watch on his master's reactions and felt very satisfied when he noticed his muscles slowly relaxing.

Seth moved his ministrations to the base of the neck, on the spot where it meets the shoulder. From there he rubbed the tense flesh slowly working up the neck toward the base of the skull. He threaded his fingers on Jacob's hair working carefully on his scalp. Jake leaned back, his eyes closed and his mouth relaxed. Suddenly he turned and grabbing Seth by the waist pulled him to his lap so the slave was straddling him.

"Fuck Seth do you have any idea what you do to me. Your scent is my drug; your touch is my heaven. Nobody has ever touched me the way you just did. Believe me when I tell you that giving me massages will be added to your list of chores." Jacob smirked while eyeing a blushing Seth.

Jacob peeled off Seth's shirt and threw it on the floor beside them. For an instant his expression changed from the lust propelled one to a very different one. The moment his eyes connected with the scar on Seth's chest that formed the letters JB, he felt as a wave of shame invaded his whole body. Seth noticing his master's distress thought of a way to distract him, it was ingrained in his psyche that his main purpose was to keep his master happy and he was determined to do so regardless of what'll cost him. The slave moved slightly and started peppering his master's chest with tiny tender kisses. He was barely touching his skin but the effect was the desired one and in no time Jake had his eyes closed and his very evident erection was threatening to pop out of his pants.

Even a few weeks before Seth wouldn't have dared to kiss his master without being asked to, but something had changed. He couldn't really put his finger on it; the few days he had been working in the kitchen Jacob had been obsessive to the point of being ridiculous. The slave found it very confusing that Jake had ordered his wolves to stay away from him. He knew his master didn't like sharing him but he also knew his master didn't care about him. In sharp contrast Seth cared for his master, with the added benefit that to the extent to which Jake was happy Seth would have a semblance of peace.

Jacob slid his arms around Seth's back and glided them down to cup his rounded ass. Seth's body jolted when Jacob's strong fingers dug into his bottom. Gripping the firm globes he pulled Seth's hips towards him to grind their clothed erections together. The submissive couldn't stop his response and slowly rolled his hips to grind them against Jacob's, growling slightly when hardness met hardness. It was the submissive's turn to be embarrassed, this was one of those rare occasions in which he had gotten hard while being with his master. He never orgasm with him, it was very hard to feel pleasure when his ass was bleeding. Jacob wanted nothing but to throw the small wolf on the desk and fuck his brains out but he exercised restrain and hoped it would pay up.

Seth's hands enjoyed the access to his master's ample chest and sculpted abs. He sighed shakily as he nervously ran the palm of his hands over them. The submissive's hairless chest slid against his master's burning one. It made his nipples hard and sensitive. Jacob bent his head and started flicking his tongue over the turgid buds. Seth dug his hands into his master's thick mane; this elicited a muffled moan from Jake's lips.

They continued an interminable dance in a quest for pleasure. Both master and slave moaned and grunted unabashedly. Jacob attacked Seth's neck making him purr with wanton. He had seen the effect of Embry's kisses on his sub's neck and wanted to elicit the same reaction from him. Competitive by nature he had to do one up and tried to make Seth's reaction even stronger than it had been with Embry. Unfortunately the slave's collar was in the way, preventing Jake from having total access to his submissive sensitive neck.

Jacob pulled back and away from Seth, the submissive saw this as a sign that his master was either done or he wanted to move to a different location, most likely the bed. Seth motioned to get off his lap but Jake held on to him with an iron grip that verged on painful. "I didn't say you could get off me, puppy." Say what? Puppy? The first thought that came to Seth's mind was that he had never heard that term of endearment directed at him.

The master took the key that was hanging from his neck and in one motion opened Seth's collar. He removed it carefully and placed it on his desk to the total disbelief of his slave. "That piece of crap was crashing my style." Said Jacob before winking sexily at his submissive. Without wasting one second he assaulted Seth's neck sucking, nipping and biting. He couldn't have enough, just the scent that emanated from his submissive's pulse point was enough to drive him insane. Seth tilted his head back allowing a deep throaty moan to fill his master's office. Jake took this action as an open invitation to suck on his Adam's apple. Seth was in heaven, he pushed his master's face towards him while rolling his hips. Seth was producing the most seductive noises making his master proud and turning him on even more. The friction was enough to produce sparks as they both moved in perfect harmony.

Seth pressed onto his master, crushing their erections together as their movements turned frantic. The submissive's jaw was slack and he was panting. Jacob almost became undone when Seth's pink tongue peeked out between his lips to provide much needed moisture. The master's eyes were fixated on his slave's now slick lips and he couldn't help himself and nipped Seth's lower lip making him gasp. They never kissed. Their lips never pressed against each other but Jake bit and tugged Seth's lips to his delight. The slave would nudge his head against his master to encourage him to keep going.

The submissive continued rubbing his hips into his master's while Jacob cursed their pants to hell and back. He wouldn't dare stop Seth just to remove their pants; it was too good to interrupt. Seth whimpered in a way that sounded like he was trying to say something but his master didn't quite catch it. "What is it Seth?" Asked Jacob between pants and moans.

Seth slid his cheek across Jake's nuzzling his nose to the curve of his master's ear. The slave took a couple of deep breaths; hot air ghosting against Jake's already overheated flesh. "Please master can I cum for you." That was all it took for that wonderful spark to ignite inside Jacob's belly, jumping around his gut and burning him from the inside out. Seth followed soon after, his master's name leaving his lips in a breathy chant.

The slave's body relaxed for an instant before he gathered himself and tried to climb off his master. "Don't leave Seth, ride the end of your orgasm with me." Jacob felt satisfied when his slave relaxed against him. He kissed the top of Seth's bald head and rocked them tenderly as the submissive tried to get his breathing under control.

"Damn it! I have a fucking mess in my pants." Seth stiffened on his master's lap fearing being punished, but he couldn't be farther from the truth. "And if my nose is not mistaken, so do you." Jacob felt his submissive smile against his chest and sighed content with the feelings he was experiencing.

Jacob had the first taste of real emotion in a long time. His walls were crumbling faster than he could put the thought together. The rug was being taken from under his feet and he was stepping into the unknown, but he welcomed it, he wanted this, there was no sense in denying it. Seth felt confused and unsure. Was he so pathetic and so hungry for human contact that he was falling for his master? This was not only stupid but dangerous, if caught he would be put to death. But he chose to concentrate on the here and now and enjoy the moment, leaving the worry and the concern for some other occasion.

"Thank you master." Whispered Seth against his master's chest.

"No puppy, thank _you_…"


	13. Chapter 13

**To those of you who celebrated Christmas I hope your day was filled with happiness. To those of you who didn't celebrate it I hope you had a great day. **

**Thank you for the messages, reviews and alerts. Every time I get a new notification I'm filled with joy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… I wish I did…**

**Chapter 13**

Seth stood quietly by the window overlooking the forest behind the manor. The last of the snow was long gone and the world was starting to burst with life once again. Spring brought with it some rain and after eight long weeks of winter the much nicer weather was most welcome. There was still a slight chill in the air but everybody welcomed the days getting longer along with a little more blue in the sky. The submissive felt the warm glow of the sun on his face filling him with life and energy.

Jacob and Seth had fallen in a comfortable routine. The slave was perfectly attuned to his master's needs and tended to his duties without fault. Jacob on the other hand seemed to be a lot more understanding and patient, not only with Seth but with his pack as well. The biggest change so far had been Jacob's fuse, he was not as quick to react and punch Seth at the slightest provocation. He still punished his submissive and used him as a stress relief but everyone could see the difference between Seth and any other submissive Jake ever had.

Compared to the first weeks after arriving at the manor, the slave lived what for one of his kind would be considered a life of luxury. He was fed three times a day, had access to the refrigerator whenever he worked in the kitchen and the bruises on his face and arms were minimal. To any human being or mythical creature for that matter this would seem barbaric but Seth was content with the life he was living. Of course he was not happy, who in their right mind would enjoy having no freedom and being at the mercy of every male around them? In a way he had to be grateful for his master's possessiveness and protection; unfortunately he didn't know how much longer it would last or how much longer the wolves would obey Jacob.

Seth was very perceptive and it didn't go unnoticed when the wolves would exchange strange looks or speak with sarcasm. His master seemed to be oblivious to the machinations taking place around him or maybe he just didn't care. Maybe the novelty of Seth's presence was wearing off and the master was ready to move on. The slave only prayed that if that moment ever came that his master would dispose of him quickly. Seth tried not to curse his existence even though he had many reasons to do so, but some days were easier than others. He still couldn't believe how his master presented so much resistance to him being given his freedom. What propelled him to be so cruel, to rather see Seth be a slave for the rest of his days than to lack the service of a submissive for any period of time? It was not like he couldn't get a new one; yes there was a serious shortage of subs but he was Jacob Black, the son of the Aleph, he could get a piece of heaven if he wanted to.

His master's voice took the submissive out of his internal reverie. "Seth, come over here!"

Seth arrived promptly to his master's office to find him sitting on his desk looking over some papers. The memories of what had turned into one of his master's favorite spots in the room made Seth's face to be covered in a slight flushing. The submissive had to admit that he thoroughly enjoyed all the times his master would make him sit on his lap only to roll their hips in tandem and grind against each other. In most occasions Jacob tendered to Seth's needs as well and allowed him to enjoy the sexual rapture. Only a handful of times Jacob had forsaken Seth's desires and bent him over his desk to take him hard and deep.

Out of habit and without noticing, Seth started chewing on his bottom lip as the cascade of memories assaulted him. He lusted after his master's lips, it was the only part of his body he was not allowed to touch and he craved that intimacy. Sometimes at night the light would come in the room in just the right angle to bathe Jacob's sleeping form in shades of blue and grey. In that mysterious time of the day Seth could sit and admire his master from a distance. It was the safest time of the day to just sit back and observe him without being questioned.

He would dream about things being different, of him being a free man. He wished for the day his master wouldn't look at him with disgust. He knew he was damaged goods, but even if it was from his spot on the floor, in the darkness of the room and only for a few minutes, he had hopes and dreams. His soul would fill with sorrow each time his master started stirring in his sleep with yet another nightmare. Even if Jacob was cruel and evil Seth wouldn't wish him to suffer the way he was. During the day he was tortured with his own self sabotaging behaviors and at night old and new demons engulfed him.

Jacob lifted his eyes from his work to look at Seth's form as he stood by the door to his office. "Seth I'm leaving in a few minutes to do a survey of the land. I'll be back tomorrow evening. You have kitchen duty tomorrow but I want this room clean for when I come back, capisce?"

"Yes master" Answered Seth in a quiet tone. Since the day he was attacked by James and Felix he had feared his master's absences. Jacob was no walk in the park but at least with him Seth knew what to expect. Also Jacob was treating him more humanly; there were even times when Seth felt human again.

Jacob stood from behind his desk walking barefoot toward Seth. The submissive took a step back to let his master walk through the doorway but was caught by surprise by Jacob's arm snaking around his narrow waist. "Damn it Seth stop gnawing on that bottom lip." Jake pressed himself against his chest making a shiver to run down the submissive's body. Seth knew what his master liked and placing his arms around his master's wide shoulders exposed his neck in submission. Jacob didn't seem to be satisfied with owning Seth; he demanded complete and total submission of mind, body and soul. The master ran the tips of his fingers along Seth's collar caressing the sensitive flesh of his slave, making Seth yearn for more, much more. Unfortunately as it always happened, Jake peeled himself off his slave and without saying another word he left the room.

After just taking a few steps outside of his room he already missed Seth. Jacob brought to his face the hand with which he touched his submissive and breathed in his scent. That little dog was doing what nobody had been able to do. Seth was healing his sorrow; the slave was the best medicine for his lost soul. The submissive didn't have to do much; his mere presence was enough to extinguish the fire that threatened to burn Jake alive.

Jacob was not stupid, he was well aware of the risks of leaving Seth alone for any period of time. He trusted him; it was the other dominants that he didn't trust. After saying goodbye to his father Jacob stepped out stopping for a moment to remove his clothes and take one last glance towards his window were invariably he would find Seth's piercing eyes looking at him. From up close his submissive wouldn't even dare to lift his eyes from the floor but at a distance his gaze blazed through him.

After watching his master's massive russet wolf disappear between the trees Seth continued with his usual shores. With his master gone and no kitchen duty his day was going to be easy and dull. After several hours he was ready for a break and settled in his master's office to continue reading the book he had started just a week before. He didn't really care for westerns but he did like daydreaming about sexy cowboys and that book had plenty of those.

Seth heard two sets of steps coming from the hallway and even though he was almost certain they were not coming his way he decided to play it safe and after placing the book back in the exact same place he walked back to the main sleeping area. He observed as the door opened slowly and with the first waft of air he felt the blood freeze in his veins and his heart stop beating.

"Seeeethyyyy we're homeeeee" Crooned Felix as both him and James walked in the room closing the door behind them.

"Did you miss us baby?" Asked James as he glided toward the trembling submissive.

"Oh look how cute, he is trembling with anticipation." Taunted James.

Seth shook himself out of his stupor and determined not to be a sitting duck started running toward the window in an attempt to escape from the two deranged rapists. He was fast, but not fast enough as the moment he was going to jump he was grabbed by the waist and pulled back in the room. "No no no, bad doggy."

James slammed Seth on the table where just a few hours earlier his master sat to enjoy his breakfast. The moment his face came in contact with the table Seth heard a crack as his nose shattered under the pressure. To Seth everything felt like it was moving in slow motion but he knew that was not the case. He felt as his pants were pushed down and the cold breeze on his exposed bottom. "James you went for it first last time, today is my turn."

"No problem it's only fair, I'll take his mouth while you fuck him" James roughly slid Seth's face in his direction while Felix started pushing himself inside his hole. The submissive had to come up with a plan quickly, before the perverts could have their way with him. Pretending to cooperate Seth opened his mouth only to snap it shut on James turgid member making him scream in pain. The slave was satisfied when the coppery taste of his blood filled his mouth. This made Felix stop in his tracks but earned Seth a fist to the face as he was turned on his back and punched mercilessly. James was holding his bleeding member afraid of even looking at it.

"You really did it now mother fucker moron! You bit him and that gives up all the right in the world to kill you where you stand." As soon as the last word left his lips Felix's fist connected with Seth's gut, a muffled yelp being the only sound to come out of him.

"Brother, kill the little bitch, he almost bit my fucking dick off!" Demanded James.

As Felix prepared himself to land the potentially fatal blow the door opened suddenly. The two dominants blanched at the sight of an irate Jacob looking at them. They feared his reaction but knew that whatever happened to them it would be ten times worse for the slave. Even if they couldn't kill him themselves they would still get their revenge on the repulsing dog.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" Asked Jacob while his gaze went from Felix to James ending up on his submissive. If it was even possible he became angrier after barely recognizing Seth under the numerous bruises and swollen face.

"Jake we came looking for you and this whore started coming on to us like a bitch in heat. It was impossible to resist and we started getting freaky but he changed his mind and bit James. Look at his dick! We demand that you dispose of him right now!" Felix was lying through his teeth without even bothering to try to make sense.

"I find that very hard to believe, if something can be said about this dog is that he hangs on to life. He knows very well that if he whores himself it will be a one way ticket to the afterlife. So the most logical deduction is that you are a fucking liar." Jacob painfully grabbed Seth's arm to make stand up straight. "Seth is he telling the truth? Answer me!" Asked Jacob.

"No master, he lies"

"Jake don't tell me you're going to believe this slut and not us. How can you take his side? You know he will say anything to save his ass."

"Felix… shut up! I believe him because he has never lied to me and that could never be said about you. Grab dickless and get out of here. Carlisle may need to take a look at the bite."

"Wait, you're not going to kill him?" Asked James as he leaned against his friend for support.

"That's none of your fucking business!"

"If he is so honest then you already know this is not the first time we fuck him." Jacob breath faltered as he tried to wrap his mind around James last statement.

"Seth?..." The submissive nodded resigned to his fate.

Jacob expression changed to one of pure unadulterated rage. Placing his strong hands on Seth's biceps he shook the submissive like he was a rag doll. Deep inside him he prayed that Seth would deny it, that he would pass the chalice and not drink from it. The master wasn't sure if he could go through with it.

"Dog I want the truth, did they force you?" Again Seth nodded causing protests and arguments to take over the whole situation. "Why didn't you tell me?" Jake was grabbing at straws trying to find any loophole to spare the sub's life, but everything was looking very grim.

"They threatened Embry; I couldn't be responsible for harm coming to him."

"You fucking slut! You're nothing but a disgusting lying cunt!" Screamed Felix as he motioned to land yet another blow on Seth's form. Jacob blocked him sending him to the floor where he sat dazed and confused. The master had heard enough, the morons were losing their cool fast which meant they were desperate.

"I'm done with you two. You're hereby banished from my father's land. You have five, no, three minutes to leave this property. I suggest you run because in three minutes my pack is going after you" Stated Jacob with a falsely calm façade.

"You cannot kick us out of here! Wait until your father hears that his son is protecting this thing." Said James pointing in Seth's direction. "He will question if the person he risked his life to rescue is his son or an impostor. Actually that will explain how you were able to the stand there while they tortured and killed your mother." That was it, if there was something Jacob didn't tolerate was anybody mentioning his mother with anything but reverence. Letting go of Seth's arms he pummeled in James direction, Jake dragged the wolf to the same window Seth had tried to jump from and pushed him out of his room. He turned to get Felix only to see his retreating form padding it out of the room as fast as his legs would carry him.

Jacob moved to an open area of the room to phase and communicate with the guards and the members of his pack who were on patrol. After phasing back to human Jacob moved to his sub who sat quietly on the floor while bracing his middle. "Submissive, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"I'm sorry master but I don't have any." Jacob was troubled; he was not willing to hurt Seth in any way. Seth was not helping his case, instead of pleading or asking for mercy he sat resigned to accept his master's wishes. If he was going to leave this earth he would do it with a shred of dignity.

"Seth I… don't want to kill you." Jacob's confession took them both by surprise. Seth stood up walking haltingly toward his master the sting of his most recent injuries affecting his balance.

Standing before his master the submissive lifted his head revealing the bruises on his youthful face and the dry blood on his upper lip. "Master I don't want to die." Seth whispered sincerely and Jacob sighed relieved that his slave still had some will to live.

"I'll have mercy on you, after all you fought back proving to me that you were not acting like a whore. I do demand one thing from you; never again keep secrets from me. I do not give second chances." Jacob knew he was so full of shit, he would not just give Seth a second chance, he would give him as many as he needed as long as the slave would stay by his side.

"Go get cleaned up, you're fucking lucky the survey was done when I got there and I just collected the information to bring it to my father. Actually I'll go talk to him right now…" Seth tensed and Jacob gathered he was afraid of Felix and James return. Tenderly but carefully the master placed his open hand on the slave's cheek. The warmth of the touch and the emotion behind the gesture alleviating his discomfort. "Don't be scared, the pack is on it, they will not set foot in this house again."

As he always did whenever his own emotions threatened to betray him Jacob left Seth's side as quickly as he could. Once more the submissive had been able to dodge a bullet aimed directly at his heart. He feared the day when his luck would run out.

The spring was the busiest time of the year for the wolves. It was a complicated year long process, using the winter to plan the locations of the crops, the fall to prepare the soil and the spring for the planting. They only had a small window of opportunity and it took careful planning and a lot of hard work. Everybody participated; the only ones exempt from this task were the females and the children. In addition to Seth and Edward, in the Black household only Emily and Sophia remained in the house during the day. Seth took every opportunity to play silly games with the little girl who considered him her hero. The three of them became fast friends with Emily eternally grateful to Seth for saving her daughter's life. Sophia still didn't call Jacob uncle even though Seth had asked her to, but she was as stubborn as both her parents put together. The submissive knew that Sophia would be the closest thing he would ever have to a daughter and relished every minute he spent in her company.

In an attempt to make Emily and Sophia feel included and useful Seth came up with the idea of planting a vegetable garden near the house. Billy immediately accepted seeing that the request came from Sophia herself. He had to face the fact that the future she-wolf had all the wolves wrapped around her little finger. The unlikely trio spent hours outside working but it didn't feel like work since they all welcomed the change in the monotony of their days. Emily was thoroughly impressed with Seth's skills as a teacher and how he managed to sneak a lesson in their everyday activities. Learning became a game to Sophia, whether she was counting seeds or learning agricultural sciences everything became an adventure.

The nights were quiet, everybody too exhausted to chat or engage in any activity. The daytime activities determined the interaction of the members of the household. After dinner everybody retreated to their rooms to rest. "Seth, draw me a bath!" Exclaimed Jacob the moment he came in the room after having dinner with his father.

Seth promptly filled the spa tub with water and turned on the jets. His master had been working from sun to sun, leaving the room before sunup and coming back in the evening for dinner and an occasional fuck. The submissive had to take advantage of the fact that his master was even too tired to take him several times a day like he had been doing and instead he would be satisfied with a quickie before bedtime.

"Is it ready? Hurry up!" Jacob stood by the tub already naked and impatiently waiting for the tub to fill. He always rushed Seth as in doing so would make the tub fill faster.

After checking the temperature of the water one more time the submissive stood aside so his master could get in. Jacob hissed as the hot water hit his body but he welcomed the slight sting. His whole body was sore from the effort, his hands covered in blisters that seemed to be one on top of the other. "Seth, come bathe me"

As obedient as ever, Seth knelt outside the bathtub but his master had other plans. "Get in the water with me; I'm too tired to be moving around too much." The submissive promptly removed his clothes and stepped into the tub with his master. Jacob couldn't help the stirring he felt in his groin as soon as he saw his submissive naked body. His slave had become his drug, his scent, his skin; everything about him caused an immense sense of fascination in the dominant. To him it was embarrassing to even consider the fact that he might be developing feelings for his slave but the truth was undeniable, he felt different.

Jacob moved forward to make space so Seth could settle behind him, but making sure his slave's body would still be in contact with his. The submissive worked a good lather and began massaging his master's scalp. The moan of pleasure that came out of his lips filled Seth with satisfaction, knowing he was doing something good for his master. After rinsing his hair carefully he started lathering his master's neck taking the time to massage his sore shoulders, act which granted him with a content smile from his master.

Seth's hands wandered lower and lower gently scrubbing every inch of Jacob's torso and the hills and valleys of his abdomen. He fought the lecherous thought that flooded his mind as he ran his hands over his master's body. Even if he felt sick and embarrassed at his own weakness he couldn't deny the strong attraction he felt for the man that at that moment was in front of him. He shook the thoughts off and concentrated on the steam coming off the warm water and the feel of the jet stream that was hitting him right on his back.

Moving to his master's side he picked up each one of his legs and washed them fervently. Seth absentmindedly grazed Jacob's crotch putting into evidence that his master was as turned on as he was. Jacob's dick stood proud almost resting against his stomach. Jacob turned to look at his slave, his lips turned into a smirk. He eyed his slave wondering what he was thinking about, trying to figure out if Seth touched him by accident or if there was some ulterior motive. Not one to hide his desires, Jacob grabbed Seth's hand and placed it over his hard shaft. Closing the slave's fist around his hard member he moved Seth's hand along his length slowly. Jacob masturbated with Seth's hand and the slave was just grateful his master was using his hand and not any other part of his body.

Jacob closed his eyes and tilted his head back delighted with the feel of his slave's touch. Seth spread his master's legs slightly to give himself better access and be able to play with Jacob's balls as well as his cock. Jacob's breathing became ragged as his release was quickly approaching. Since his master had his eyes closed Seth observed his youthful face getting drunk in his beauty and the sensations running through his body. Jacob extended one of his long arms to fondled Seth's behind possessively. The slave stroked him with zeal but not for his master's benefit but his own. He didn't want to risk his master deciding to take his ass while he could just as well come from a hand job. After a few minutes Jacob's breath became deeper and his whole body tensed gradually before he succumbed to the orgasmic sensations that ran all over his body. His release was not the strongest he'd ever felt but it was pleasurable nonetheless.

Seth stepped out wrapping himself with one of his ripped and scratchy old towels, then grabbed one of Jacob's soft fluffy ones and waited for his master. Jacob emerged from the misty water relaxed and deeply satisfied. For a few seconds he considered taking his submissive to his bed to ravage his young body but felt too tired to even finish the thought. The slave moved towards him and began patting his skin softly to absorb the moisture. Jacob observed Seth as he did this task and used the opportunity to sneak another peek at his body. His huff of annoyance startled the sub who immediately thought he had done something wrong.

"Why the fuck are you covering yourself slave?" Said Jacob as he ripped off the towel that Seth had wrapped around his waist. Seth had no answer his only reason was a false and idiotic sense of decency.

"I don't know master"

"Well don't do it. Anyway I've seen every inch of your body; there is no reason to hide" Stated Jacob surprisingly calm. He was thoroughly amused when his slave's cheeks turned rosy as he blushed like a school girl.

Unable to take his eyes away from Seth's face Jacob took the soft towel from the slave's hands and opened it to its full size. Placing it like a sling behind the submissive he pulled Seth towards him roughly. The slave was startled for a minute when their bodies crashed and he could feel the warmth of his master's body covering him. Seth felt like he had struck gold, for a person so hungry for human contact, anything, regardless of how simple, was a reason to be joyous.

"Sorry, sometimes I don't measure my own strength." Said Jacob apologetically. Seth frowned realizing his proximity to his master was nothing but a miscalculation.

Noticing the frown on Seth's face Jacob ran the pad of his thumb over it to smooth it. "Why the frown?"

"It's not important master."

"Seth look at me" Seth shyly lifted his head to look at his master's face but stopping his gaze at his lips. At the sight of his master's luscious lips his body reacted in a much undesired way for the situation. He was dying to kiss his master but he understood Jacob found that disgusting. He couldn't blame Jake, after all more than once Seth had been sickened by his body and the things he had been forced to do.

"I want to see your eyes; I promise I won't hurt you." Jacob's voice was soft as velvet. Seth thought that must be the voice he uses to romance the many lovers he had in his lifetime, but wondered why he was using it with him. Obeying his master's request his eyes slowly inched upwards until their gazes connected. For the first time Seth didn't see that flame of anger burning behind Jacob's eyes. Instead he saw the scared little boy that cried in his sleep tortured by dreams and memories.

Seth felt compassion for the man in front of him, he didn't pity him even though he could, but compassion would be more dignified. Seth relaxed in his master's arms, his shoulder visibly slumping slightly and his jaw soft enough to smile. Jacob responded with a smile of his own as he wrapped the slave with the soft towel he was still holding.

"I remembered that I haven't given you the surprise I offered for that bitching breakfast you made me. There will be something else but for now you can keep this towel, it's soft and cuddly. I know you like them because I've seen you rub your face on them. When you think I'm not looking I see you with your eyes closed enjoying the softness of the material." Seth was overwhelmed with his master's generosity, but embarrassed at being caught. His heart felt like it would jump out of his chest and start running on its own while his eyes threatened to open the dam he never allowed to give him away. His face turned red and he had to let his eyes fall to the floor since he could not hold his master's intense gaze any longer.

Jacob placed his index finger under Seth's chin and gently lifted his head. He was enthralled with Seth's rosy cheeks and plump lips. The little dog in front of him was enslaving him in a way he never thought possible. But…he didn't fight the feeling, he didn't close himself to the possibility and that scared him to death. Could it be? Could his heart of ice melt for the lowest of the low? For a slave?

Without thinking and acting on pure instinct Jacob bent forward to place a tender kiss on his submissive's forehead. The moment his lips connected with Seth's skin the air around them filled with emotion. This was an exciting moment for master and slave. The master's heart of stone was being chiseled by the simple man in front of him. Seth was totally overwhelmed, to him the kiss felt _pure._

Seth lost all constraints and in a sudden burst of sentiment placed his small hands on his master's shoulders, raised to his tippy toes and kissed his cheek tenderly. Then reality struck him, he had done something forbidden, he had broken a cardinal rule. His whole body shook as he took two hesitant steps away from his master. He waited for the insult; he waited for the blow that would leave him hurt and bloody. He knew he would be punished and wanted to kick himself for ruining the wonderful moment. He was more horrified of being responsible for messing up the moment that for getting hurt.

"Why did you kiss me Seth?" Asked Jacob, not angry but confused with his slave's reaction.

"I apologize master; you see… the thing is that…. When you kissed my forehead it was a sensation completely new to me. It was so clean and pure, everything I'm not. Your generosity just hit me really hard right here." Seth patted his chest right over his heart.

Seth's skin rose with goosebumps when Jacob covered with his hand the one that still rested against the submissive's chest. "Seth, you are an innocent angel, pure and kind like no other. I believe you're unable to think bad thoughts about anyone. If that was the case you would hate me and maybe I'm deluding myself but I don't think you do. Just now you kissed me in a way that I've never been kissed before and that kind of caring can't be faked" Jake had to stop talking before he made a complete fool of himself. Seth's tender act stirred so many emotions inside him that he felt lost and exposed. He had never felt a touch as tender and caring as his slave's.

Seth lifted his eyes once more to see an adorable blush covering his master's face and his eyes turned into sad crystalline pools. Hesitantly the submissive lifted his hand and placed it on his master's cheek getting pleasantly surprised when instead of rejecting him Jacob leaned onto the touch. Seth felt his master's lips on his skin and craved them more than ever. On the other hand after feeling his slave's lips on his cheek the want he had been experiencing grew exponentially. Jake felt he would go mad if he didn't act on it, but he couldn't… he wouldn't. They were both burning slowly, the urgency of their desire creating a tangled web of love, need and lust neither of them felt before in their lives and neither one of them was willing to accept.

Jacob wrapped Seth snugly with the towel with the intention of sending him away. If he didn't create some distance between the slave and him he would certainly disgrace himself by giving in to his need. "Seth go get ready for bed, I'm tired." Said Jacob abruptly.

Seth held the towel over his shoulders as he turned around to walk to his bathroom to find some clothes. He had taken a few steps when his master's voice startled him. "Seth wait" In two quick steps Jake stood before his submissive once more and without reasoning or thinking of the consequences bent forward and caught Seth's lips in a heated kiss. The slave's lips were soft and warm, just like Jacob dreamt they would be. The master tasted the submissive, enjoying how his body responded. Seth held back at first, afraid of reacting in a way that would have bad consequences. At his master's insistence Seth gave up all control and opened his mouth for his master to savor. Seth's arms came up around Jake's neck and Seth pulled him against him. The submissive was on the tips of his toes kissing his master as fiercely as Jake was kissing him.

Jacob could've had anyone he wanted, somebody perfect and untouched, but instead chose his submissive. In his mind there was no one else. Jacob's tongue traced the seam of Seth's perfect lips as his hands ran over his body. The kiss was dissolving the walls they had erected around themselves. The passion they shared was their new reality, one that they welcomed with open arms.

There was nothing fancy about it, the kiss was desire and the kiss was need. Their souls were clinging to each other. Two men who never before experienced kindness, caring and devotion faced each other as David and Goliath did once, but unlike those legendary figures neither one of them would perish, quite the opposite, they would find a reason to live, their souls were being resurrected.


	14. Chapter 14

Hello! I want to apologize for taking so long to update, the holidays and some other things kind of kept me busy.

Goldwolf I'm sorry I couldn't answer any of your questions; the website does not provide a way to answer guest reviews.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

**Chapter 14 **

Seth woke up to his master's voice caressing his ears and his warm hands grazing his skin as he unlocked the chain. The submissive's reaction was fear and apprehension; he didn't know where he stood regarding his master. He could still feel the warmth and softness of his master lips on his and the blush on his face was more than evident when the memories from the night before played in his mind. The slave desperately wanted to re-create the kiss but wouldn't dare take initiative.

The slave's thoughts went to the moment right after the kiss, that awkward instant in which they both felt like teenagers experimenting with sex, even if they did not realize it. The slave couldn't really feel as a teenager since those years were robbed of him at the same time as his innocence. Jacob had a much easier upbringing but was also forced to grow up fast when the horrors and responsibilities of the new world order caught up with him. After Jacob pulled away from Seth's face he looked confused and lost. Seth wanted to comfort him, to hold him in his arms and tell him everything would be fine. The slave would even promise to forget it ever happened if that made his master happy. Even though that would be an empty promise since nobody forgets their first kiss. For all practical purposes it had been their first kiss, neither one of them had ever experienced love, for different reasons, but at the end the result had been the same.

The slave knelt on his spot waiting for his master to walk away and be able to start his daily tasks, which invariably started with making himself clean and presentable for his dominant. Jacob had to consciously push himself away from the submissive because all he wanted was to savor his lips once more. He took a hesitant step back allowing Seth to walk past him and get to the bathroom. The master caught himself staring at his submissive's small frame until he disappeared behind a closed door.

Jacob went in search of work clothes, that way as soon as he was done with his breakfast he could begin his workday. When Seth went back to the room he found his master fully dressed and waiting for breakfast. "Seth I need to talk to you." Stated the master in his most businesslike tone.

"About last night, what happened, you know… the kiss. Not a word to anyone. I've told you this before but since you're a stupid dog I'll say it again, what happens in this room is nobody's business. You don't go blabbering to anyone, not to Quil, not to Edward, not to Emily, to none of your _buddies_. I mean it Seth; I showed a lot of restrain and mercy with you yesterday, do not make me regret it. Don't humiliate me in front of anyone, it's not like any of the wolves will believe you but I don't want even the slightest misunderstanding to stain my reputation." Seth wouldn't even dream of telling anybody what transpired between them, all his master needed to do was deny it and the only person who would end up in trouble was himself. Jacob on the other hand regretted every word he said, but he had no choice. In the new world your name and reputation were everything. The name Black granted him numerous benefits and he was not willing to put that at risk. The idea of a dominant harvesting any feeling towards a submissive was considered ridiculous and impossible.

"I won't tell a soul, master." Seth acknowledged how hurt he felt by his master's statement. He had been deluding himself and even dreamt of his master's soft lips on his own as they shared night after night of companionship, friendship and love. His master's words popped the bubble in which his dreams were encased, allowing each one of them to escape.

Jacob rounded his slave's slim waist with his powerful arms and pulled him towards him. Seth's scent was affecting him as usual but the previous night activities made him crave his submissive's body even more. Jacob's arms rested on Seth's old shirt but his hands found a way to be in contact with the slave's skin. "Damn it Seth, it's incredible how you manage to turn me into mush without even trying. You smell so fucking good." The master tried to adjust himself, his pants suddenly uncomfortable. He knew he could've just taken Seth for what he was worth but he didn't want to. He wanted nothing more than to have his member surrounded by Seth's warmth but a better part of him didn't want to hurt the slave.

Sensing his master need and scenting his arousal Seth decided to fulfill his duty and make him feel good. After all that was all he was good for, to give head and get fucked. The slave gently pushed Jacob to a nearby chair and made him sit, then he knelt between his master's legs and without making any type of eye contact proceeded to unfasten the button on Jacob's pants and lifting the little tab on the zipper opened it. Seth knew there was not a man on earth that wouldn't sell his soul for a killer blowjob and the slave knew how to work his magic. A small smile formed on Jacob's lips, but not as a result of anticipating the pleasure he was about to experience. For the first time in his life, he had not taken or demanded a sub's body. Seth was volunteering, even if he did it out of fear or resigned to his bad fortune, in Jacob's eyes it still counted as a volunteer act.

Jacob lifted his behind off the chair to let Seth slide his pants past his hips and scooted down to get comfortable. Without wasting one minute the submissive folded his lips around his teeth and got to work on his master's manhood. The slave would've taken his time teasing his master, progressing slowly form light licks to licking him like an ice cream, ending up bobbing his head up and down. It was not one of those days, Jacob's words had affected Seth more than he would ever know; once again he felt dirty and nothing more than an animal. The moan that escaped the master's lips filled the room and made the submissive feel satisfied with at least being good for one thing.

Almost like an echo of Jake's moan the door opened slowly and Edward walked in carrying a tray with Jacob's and Seth's breakfast. His face contorted into one of anger and disgust when he realized the reason for Jacob's half lidded eyes and heavy deep breathing. From where he stood all he could see was Seth's small body between Jacob's legs, he didn't need to see what he was doing to know it made him livid. Noticing Edward's presence Jacob placed his beefy hands on Seth's bald head to still his movements. The submissive had noticed Edward's presence but that didn't faze him, more than once one dominant had him on his knees while one or more waited for his turn.

"Ed, leave the food there and go." Ordered Jacob.

"With pleasure your majesty" Snarled Edward carelessly dropping the tray on the table.

Jacob became annoyed with Edward's insubordination; he would have to have a few words with the disrespectful wolf sooner than later. When Edward left slamming the door hard enough to make the whole room shake, Jacob had to make an effort not to go after him. Who was he kidding? It had been fairly easy to avoid the confrontation, he placed in a balance picking a fight with Edward versus fucking Seth's mouth. It was no contest, Seth always won.

The heavy head rested on Seth's tongue which expertly tickled the cute flappy thing on the underside of it. The slave hollowed his cheeks to create better suction. As much as he secretly enjoyed tasting his master he wanted to get it over with as fast as he could. Surrounding the bottom of the shaft with his right hand the slave started bobbing his head up and down while using his left hand to play with his master's balls. He made sure to slide the head of his master's cock on the roof of his mouth to create some extra intense sensations. Jacob seemed to like that as he let out a breathy moan. The combined action of Seth's hands and mouth working in sync brought Jacob to completion fast and hard. The master's juices slid down the submissive's throat as Seth held his master's pulsing cock in his mouth until he was done coming.

Like nothing happened Seth stood up and began setting the table for breakfast. He worked quietly and efficiently, after laying all the food before his master he moved to his spot on the floor where he waited for his master to feed him. Jacob motioned for Seth to come forward and filled his bowl with as much food as would fit in it. He made a mental note to tell Edward to give Seth a bigger bowl and to send more food. The submissive looked sickly with hollowed cheekbones and a visible ribcage.

As soon as they were done with their meal Seth picked up everything placing it on the tray to carry it with him to the kitchen. Jake had this nagging feeling on the pit of his stomach that he couldn't quite put a finger on. Guilt maybe? He had been an asshole to Seth and still the slave made sure that he started his day in the best way possible. Jacob could learn a lot from his slave, selflessness being one thing. Being the son of the Aleph granted him many benefits and responsibilities, but also made him selfish and spoiled. He had to shake his head to dissipate the memories of his mother that inevitably flooded to his consciousness. He was her life and she was the best mother until the very end.

"Seth wait!" Called Jacob to stop his slave from leaving the room.

The submissive turned around, still holding the tray and waited. Jacob approached him nervously; he couldn't understand why he was so affected by Seth. The slave made him feel such a wide range of emotions that he never knew where he stood regarding him. Yes, he was the master, the boss, but the man in front of him had a grip on him like no one else. Taking the tray from Seth he placed it beside them on the floor.

"Hum… why are you so good to me?" Whispered Jacob, standing as close as he dared to a trembling Seth. "I'm an asshole on good days, on bad days… well you know." Jacob chuckled humorlessly and added "Can you answer me?"

"It's my duty master, I guess that's what I was put on this earth for, I'm not strong, I'm not particularly smart, I'm just a… dog." Answered Seth sadly.

Jacob's eyebrows furrowed when the sight of the pained look on his sub's face spoke all the words that he wouldn't dare muster. The master softly ran the back of his hand along Seth's chin and lifted his face; even though his eyes remained downcast Jake could see the face of the man who single handedly was knocking down all his defenses. "Seth why do you think so lowly of yourself?"

The question was unexpected for more than one reason. To start with, he could not believe that his master cared or even acknowledged the feelings of a slave. However, the most surprising thing about it was that Seth realized that Jacob really had no idea why. That fact told Seth just how much deep down had Jacob pushed his humanity.

"Years of slavery master; that killed all the fighting spirit I had in me. So many men trampled my soul leaving an empty shell behind it. The day they fitted me with this…" He said pointing to his collar. "I stopped living and started existing. I'm nothing master, not a man nor a beast."

Seth's pain became a living breathing being, it stood in front of Jacob shaking its head from side to side, judging him for being one of the slave's tormentors. The master felt shame for taking advantage of a gentle soul, for being another stain on his already damaged self-esteem. For so many years he had used his anger and rage as a substitution for love, he acted on one of the most primitive emotions using it as a crutch for his damaged psyche. He participated in the abuse, torture and murder of so many of these wretched human beings. In his eyes he and all the other dominants that participated in the use and abuse of submissives were scum.

"Seth listen to me, you'll probably won't believe me but I know that in time you will. I'm more of a dog that you've ever been. You say you're not strong and I beg to differ, dominants twice your size would've succumbed under the abuse you've been subjected to. I'm going to tell you something only a handful of people know, you remember when Paul flogged you?" Seth nodded. "The reason flogging is not permitted in the house is because a long time ago I received more lashes than I could endure, it broke me." It was Seth's turn to furrow his eyebrows as his heart swelled with compassion.

"Since every action has a consequence, my decisions that day had serious consequences. I will not go into detail, just know that not even me could handle everything you have been put through."

Without thinking Seth raised his hands and placed them on each side of Jake's face. "Master I'm sorry that happened to you. I don't know about being strong, maybe I'm just stubborn and refuse to die. Please know that if that happened today I would take your punishment without giving it a second thought."

Jake's face was the picture of surprise. "Are you crazy do... I mean Seth?" He stopped himself before he called Seth dog, if things were going to change it had to start with the simplest thing, no more calling him demeaning names.

"I'm not crazy master; well maybe a little." Both men chuckled lightly. Truth be told Seth didn't know if he was crazy or not. He meant what he said; he would take punishment or even death for his master. He was not afraid of dying, he was afraid of his life not having any meaning. He was afraid of leaving this earth without fulfilling his duty.

"I agree, you might be a little crazy, but for what it's worth, thank you. And about what I said earlier I'm so..." Jacob stopped himself realizing he was about to apologize to a slave. "I will not call you dog anymore, you're not an animal." Stated Jake as matter of factly as he could in an effort to keep face. The master's heart swelled up when a sincere smile appeared on the sub's face. He pulled Seth closer, placing one hand on the back of his head he tilted his head back and kissed him. The kiss was soft and gentle, one of those long lingering kisses made famous on romance novels. They each had the same thoughts racing through their heads, how soft were the other one's lips. How perfectly Seth's petite body would fit against his master's huge frame, it was like the slave had been born to fit right there. Jacob pulled back feeling himself smile when he saw Seth's closed eyes and blissful expression. "I promise things will change Seth, you'll see."

Jacob handed Seth the tray and both men walked out of the room with their minds going a thousand miles a minute. The master didn't trust himself with being able to keep his word; he worried about nothing changing and him hurting his slave again. The slave feared that new strange experience. He was so used to being hurt and used by dominants that the promise of something working out for him was a cause for apprehension and concern. Every few steps Jake would glance at his submissive who as usual walked several steps behind him. Each day he found him more beautiful, with even the slight imperfections of his skin increasing his charm and character.

Billy and Carlisle intercepted the pair as they stumbled into the great room. "Son, we were on our way to see you." Jacob sent Seth on his way before walking out in the company of his father and the doctor.

"What's this I hear about you banishing Felix and James from our land? You were the one who initially convinced me to keep them here so I could keep an eye on them, what changed your mind?" Asked Billy, the interrogation making Jacob very uncomfortable, he debated whether to make up a lie or to come clean about the reason for getting rid of them. At the end he decided on the latter, if he wanted change to happen he had to begin somewhere right?

"They raped Seth." Stated Jacob simply. The older men looked at each other confused and wondering who the heck was this person and what did he do with Jake. They both knew that since his mother was murdered Jacob never cared for anyone but himself.

"And? That's no different than what you do to him every day." Carlisle tone was accusatory, reproach dripping from every word.

"Very true, but Seth is mine." Neither man knew the hidden meaning behind Jacob's words. What was utterly surprising was that Jake didn't deny it, he didn't make excuses. He was called rapist and didn't move a finger to defend himself. That was very odd, even for Jake.

"Are you ok son?" Asked Billy concerned with his son's strange behavior. Jacob's aggressive tendencies were nothing new. He was known for his cruelty and selfishness. His father never fathomed the idea of Jake doing anything that would benefit anyone, especially a sub.

Jacob turned to look intently at his father "I'm fine dad, why do you ask?"

"This doesn't seem like you at all. You throwing out two friends because they hurt a slave, I never thought I'd see the day."

"You are a piece of work dad. You're always on my case about me being inhumane and being embarrassed of who I am and when I do something decent for a change you give me the fifth degree." Jacob was truly annoyed at his father.

"Jacob don't disrespect your father!" Exclaimed Carlisle

"Stay out of this Carlisle; I know you two feed off each other. My father thinks I'm shit and you've never been able to put in a good word for me. All you do is agree with everything my dad says."

"That's because unlike you, your father is a good decent man. You are nothing but a spoiled, abusive jerk."

"Carlisle, mind your own business and stop poisoning my father's mind against me!" yelled Jacob.

"I don't have to poison his mind, you do that all by yourself!" Exclaimed Carlisle even louder.

"Enough!" Stated Billy calmer than the other two but his voice still louder than normal.

"You're right dad, enough. I have better things to do than to stand here arguing with two gossipy hags." Not giving either man a chance to refute, Jacob took off as fast as he could. He was annoyed at Carlisle but chuckled knowing that both men thought they had him all figured out and they couldn't be more wrong.

Billy and Carlisle observed Jacob's retreating form until it disappeared past the tree line. There was something different about Jake but they couldn't put their finger on it. In the last months there had been a change in his demeanor, he seemed mellower and even smiled a little. Billy missed his son's smile; it was so similar to his Sarah's. For years they both hoped that he was leaving all his traumas behind and was growing up but every time he committed another atrocity their hope vanished.

"What do you think is going on with him?" Asked Carlisle.

"I have no idea but something tells me it has something to do with his sub." Answered Billy. "Come with me to the kitchen; I want to take a look at the slave."

Both men entered the kitchen finding Seth beginning to work in some dough. The slave left everything on the counter and knelt before they could reach him. "Stand up submissive" Ordered Carlisle.

Seth stood before the two men who observed him like he was a strange specimen. Billy lifted the slave's face to look for any bruises or signs of abuse. Carlisle lifted the sub's shirt in a quest to find any sign of Jake's usual treatment. "Nothing" Whispered Billy after studying Seth's face for a few minutes.

"Nothing on his body either." Stated Carlisle.

"What's going on Billy?" Asked Edward worried about the Aleph's investigation.

"Edward, the slave comes her three times a week right?" Edward nodded. "When was the last time you saw bruises on him?"

Edward caught on and understood the reason for Billy's and Carlisle's behavior. He wasn't sure if he should tell them the truth but decided to go ahead with it since it was not his habit to lie to the man he respected and cared for. "I think it has been between three weeks and a month." Answered Edward truthfully.

Billy's chest puffed up and an unusual smile adorned his face. Maybe his son was changing. Jacob had never been known for treating his subs well and the little dog in front of him had not been punished in almost a month. Billy looked from Seth to Edward ending up facing Carlisle. For the first time in years he was optimistic, he wanted to believe his son could change. He desperately wanted his little boy back, he was well aware that Jacob was a grown man but that didn't mean he had to stop being a good son. "He is treating him well, not one bruise in sight. Carlisle do you know what this means?"

"Brother, don't get your hopes up, you know Jake can be very unpredictable. Yes he hasn't punished the slave but there are no guarantees. Only time will tell if he is really finding his humanity."

"Damn it Carl, look at him! When was the last time you saw one of Jake's submissives well fed, clean and bruise free?"

"I've never seen that. I don't want to pop your bubble; all I want is to keep it real."

"I wonder if he is…" Billy looked to the side deep in thought. Edward sensed what was in Billy's mind and decided to give him the information he had.

"No luck there Billy, when I went to Jake's room to deliver their breakfast I saw the slave on his knees with his face buried in your son's crotch." Edward couldn't disguise the disgust that Jacob's actions caused in him. Seth felt his face get warmer as the blushing crept up from his neck until his whole face was tinted red.

"I guess it was too good to be true but my son is moving in the right direction. I truly hope he is growing up and letting go of all the hate that has been slowly killing him."

Seth breathed relieved when Billy and Carlisle exited the kitchen. Everybody was well aware of what happened behind closed doors in Jacob's room but to be exposed in front of the Aleph was embarrassing. The slave didn't know where he stood when it came to his master. One minute he is acting like a total douche bag and the next he is being an angel from heaven. It was exhausting trying to keep up with his mood changes.

"Can I ask you something?" The question was redundant since Edward knew very well that Seth couldn't deny anything to a dominant. The slave humored his friend and nodded. "Why isn't Jacob hitting you? Don't take me wrong, I'm ecstatic he is showing a shred of decency, but this is puzzling."

"I don't know sir, maybe he is not as bad as everybody thinks." Stated Seth.

"He is worse than everybody thinks, I've witnessed the condition of the bodies when they are dragged outside to be burnt, it's never pretty." Edward shook his head like trying to disperse all the memories that flooded his brain. Seth felt a shiver run down his spine thinking when would his master get tired of him and end up turning him into another victim of his wrath.

"Then again maybe it's you; there is something wonderfully unique about you."

"With all due respect sir, there is nothing remarkable about me. I'm just a slave who waits until the fates cut the string of his life." There was a mix of anger and resentment in Seth's words.

"I don't agree with that, you're an angel Seth."

"Stop making fun of me!" Screamed Seth, immediately bringing his hands to his mouth afraid of being punished for his disrespect.

"Why do you think I'm making fun of you?" Asked Edward calmly.

"What other reason will any dominant have for giving me any kind of praise? My master insists on calling me special, innocent, even pure. Have you ever heard something more ridiculous? Me, pure? I've been fucked by more men that you've met in your life." In a rare instance Seth was being insolent, he was still brooding from his master's words and Edward paid for it. The slave composed himself and realizing how brazen he was acting knelt before the cook and asked for forgiveness.

"Damn it man, stand up! Never, your hear me, never kneel in front of me. I have no demi-god pretenses, I'm just a man and not worthy of anybody humiliating himself in front of me." Edward was pissed but for different reasons than Seth thought. The whole system that was put into place after the pandemic was based on bigotry and prejudice. The wolves were committing exactly the same mistakes they criticized in the past, when they were the oppressed class robbed of their land and resources by the white man.

"I'm sorry sir." Seth's apology was sincere, he knew his attitude was a recipe for trouble and he had no desire to be flogged or to receive any other kind of punishment.

"No worries. I often ask myself how you can always be polite and calm, even when faced with such abuse as you endure on a daily basis. It's good to know you have blood running through your veins and a little bit of spirit still intact. Who knew, maybe you do have balls after all." Edward offered Seth a smile and a nuggie that made the submissive laugh shyly.

Much welcomed rain poured down the next morning making all the work to come to a halt. The downpour was enough to keep all the wolves indoors, an opportunity that many used to rest while others continued working inside. Jacob used the break to catch up on some paperwork and to enjoy the company of his submissive. Jacob craved the company of his slave, even if he wouldn't admit it. Just being close to him was enough to feel normal and for his anger to be reduced to a whisper in his heart. He was terrified; from experience he knew how unpredictable the future of a sub was. They never knew if they would even make it to the end of the day, but of one thing he was certain, when it came to Seth he couldn't picture his life without him. He would do everything in his power to keep the slave by his side. His intentions may have been selfish but they would work for Seth's benefit.

After breakfast Seth joined his master on his bed where invariably Jacob regardless of how much he tried not to, he always ended up hurting the submissive. For the master the name of the game was strength and power, words that do not go hand in hand with an enjoyable lovemaking experience. The slave stayed immobile biting the pillow to muffle any hissing or groaning. What had changed was the fact that after everything was said and done Jacob felt like he had defiled something sacred. Every day was harder and harder to have a balance between his needs and what he knew was right. As the weak feeble person he was his needs always won and he was transformed into a filthy horrible bug that brought disgust and pestilence to those around him. He knew what others thought of him, it was pretty obvious by everything he saw in their thoughts, but his biggest critics were not his friends or even his father, it was himself.

Time passed slowly in the room where both master and slave engaged in a game of fortuitous looks, tentative smiles, accidental touches and stolen kisses. The heavy rain hitting the glass widows was the perfect background to the small world they were creating in the space they shared. Jacob shamelessly asked the submissive to clean his office while he sat on his desk, that way he could see, hear and smell the object of his fascination. It was obsessive, to many it would be considered a blasphemy but it felt perfectly normal to Jacob. Seth happily accepted, he was not successful at remaining calm and not being afraid of his master but he tried his best for his master not to notice. In several occasions the slave turned on his spot for his eyes to connect with the mysterious brown eyes of his master. In those instances both men will lower their gaze embarrassed of being caught red handed. Jacob chuckled lightly at the absurdity of the situation. Why was he acting like a lovesick puppy? Seth on the other hand had no idea what was going on inside the mind of his master and just wondered what mysteries laid behind his master's cinnamon orbs.

Jacob used every excuse to retrieve items or books from the bookshelf that Seth was currently dusting. In more than one occasion he would stand behind the slave surrounding his petite frame with his powerful arms and nudging him on the neck or claiming his lips like they were the things dreams were made of. "Do you realize that there is no other place in the world where I would rather be than here with you?" Stated Jacob truthfully. Throwing caution to the air, Jacob was becoming more verbal about his feelings, vocalizing what overflowed from his heart. He wouldn't go into specifics, damn if he knew what the specifics were, but he was opening himself to the experience. Seth's only response was a small real smile, even though he saw the change in his master he couldn't help wonder how long it would last. He cringed at the idea of his dominant going back to his old behaviors, starving and hitting him like he was not a human being. Seth mindlessly ran the tip or his index and middle fingers over the raised scar that made up his master's initials. It was a reminder of past nightmares that proved to be very real.

Both men forced their hearts to slow down not wanting to put to notice the other wolf in the room. Seth was almost panting, action that made Jacob inwardly smile while he continued working. A slave as efficient as Seth would've finished that office in no time but he was taking his sweet time. He was enjoying the attention he was getting from his master. To a person who for all practical purposes was invisible and only re-appeared when he was needed, any amount of caring was welcomed. Yes, the master still patted his butt lustily and he kissed him not caring if the submissive wanted it or not. To a regular person that would have been unacceptable but to a slave it was a huge step up from his intended life.

There had been no declarations of love by either man but both men knew that something wonderful was brooding inside their hearts. In a perfect world those lingering looks and shy kisses would grow with a passion both frightening and wonderful. But this world was far from perfect, this was a match made in hell. To Jacob it would mean ridicule, the consequences would be harsher to Seth; to him it would mean death. This frightening thought shook Seth to his core, he turned once more to look at his master taking comfort in a situation that not even in his wildest dreams he envisioned. Unfortunately life always threw curve balls at the slave and as he was turning he knocked down an item that had a place of precedence on the bookshelves.

Seth saw everything moving in slow motion, the small glass angel plummeting towards the unforgiving and hard floor, his hands moving clumsily as he made a monumental effort to catch it, the small symbol of love and sacrifice hitting the floor and ending up in a dozen fragments scattered before him.

"What have you done? You clumsy piece of shit!" Bellowed Jacob so loud his throat hurt.

"That was the last gift my mother gave me, she said that angel would always protect me." Jacob knelt solemnly as his memories took him to that moment right before leaving for the final battle between the two factions. His mother gave him the angel instructing him to every time he would see it to remember her, that even when she was no longer with him that angel would remind him of her love and protection. Her words were an omen to what happened in the next twelve hours. After everything was over, Sarah had left him becoming an angel herself.

Hopelessly leaving the shattered fragments on the floor Jacob stood up and turned towards Seth who was the picture of fear, sorrow and regret. The master roughly grabbed the slave by his tattered shirt lifting him so the slave was on his tippy toes. Jacob closed his fist and gathered all his strength to send his slave to the other world in one swift blow. Knowing his master's intentions Seth lifted his head to take one last look at the man that only a few minutes earlier made his heart beat in tandem with his. Jacob saw the look of utter terror in the small slave's face, his tear filled eyes wide with fear, his shoulders violently shuddering with each unstable breath.

Jacob felt revulsion for the wretched act he was about to commit. The image and voice of his mother was loud and clear in his head, but instead of telling him to dispose of the submissive, it reminded him not to turn into what he hated the most. To not turn into the men that tortured him and killed her. He needed to be strong enough to do what was right and not take the easy way out. He received a mortal wound that day and had been dying slowly all these years. Jacob denied himself too much; every day he punished himself for what they made him do. He condemned himself to a life without real human contact and without love. His guilt turned him into a wild animal.

It was absurd that the only person to ever reach inside him and jump start his heart of ice was the lowest of the low. A person who didn't even exist, who was only an object. But he was not an object, he was a human being. Seth was the only person he knew that was incapable of hating; he knew that because he felt the slave didn't hate him even though he had given him plenty of reasons to do so. Seth made a costly mistake, but it was nothing that would grant him losing his life. Jacob lowered his fist and left the room, but not before ordering Seth to clean the glass and telling him he would be punished upon his return.

Jacob's departure left Seth thankful and extremely confused. He looked down at his feet to the symbol of his master's shattered memories. He began collecting the fragments of different sizes while tears streamed down his face. It was puzzling how Jacob had been able to control his anger but there were no guarantees, he could very well come back and kill him slowly.

Jacob left the house through the back door not wanting to bump into anyone. He ran under the pouring rain to the only place he could seek refuge. Not far from the house was the simple but beautiful mausoleum where his mother's remains rested. He had not visited her since Seth arrived, something that baffled him. Jacob smiled when he saw fresh flowers on the vase, knowing that even after so many years his father still loved and remembered her. In that peaceful place he unburdened his heart and confessed to his mother everything he didn't even dare to think afraid of anyone finding out. The master lost track of time staying there until the sun was very low in the horizon.

When Jacob walked in the room his sensitive ears picked up the sound of Seth's racing heart as it beat wildly inside the slave's chest. Enthralled with the pathetic image of his slave on his knees shaking in fear he didn't notice the item that rested on the dining table. When Seth's eyes wandered to the table the master had to look only to see what was catching his attention. He took the small figurine in his beefy hands inspecting it carefully. It was not perfect, there were small pieces still missing but all things considered it looked pretty good.

"How did you fix it?" Jake asked his slave.

"I borrowed the glue Edward uses to fix the coffee mugs which are always losing their handles." Seth's voice was shaky and thick with the tears he had been spilling and the ones that still trickled down his face.

"You did this to avoid punishment and save your sorry ass didn't you?"

"No master" Answered Seth shaking his head from side to side as to confirm his words. "I did it because I know how much it means to you." With those simple words Seth disarmed Jacob completely and any pretense of punishing him vanished.

Jacob walked towards his submissive towering over him by several feet. "Stand up!" Ordered Jacob. "I had all the intention to punish you greatly; luckily for you I realized that the angel is a material thing. It's a symbol of my mother's love, but the love I have for her and her memories live here and here." He said pointing to his heart and his head.

"I want to change Seth, I want to be the man she would be proud to call son. Thank you for fixing it, I really appreciate it. I'm sorry for scaring you, I know these past few hours must've been torture for you, thinking I would come back to punish you or even worse. I'll tell you…" The master grabbed Seth's hands and the look of pain on his face puzzled Jacob. He inspected the sub's hands only to find many half healed cuts on them.

"What happened to you? Your hands look like you ran them through a grater." Questioned Jacob.

"The glass is very fine and the small pieces imbedded in my skin and I had to dig them out. They will be completely healed in a couple of hours anyway, it's no big deal." Explained Seth.

"It's a big deal to me Seth." Jacob felt naked and self-conscious realizing he was putting his heart on the line; he had to change the subject before he made a bigger fool out of himself. "As I was saying, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow on a month long trip to inspect the posts we have scattered all over the region. I'm taking you with me, it will be a change in your routine and I can use the company." Seth couldn't contain his excitement and like a little kid he started jumping up and down ending up launching himself towards his master surrounding him with his small arms and giving him a hug.

"Thank you master, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Seth was not only grateful for his master forgiving him for breaking his most prized possession. He was also grateful for the opportunity to travel for the first time in his life. His only experience so far had been when he was transported from one master's house to the other but he had a feeling this time it would be different. This time would not end with him adding a new set of painful and humiliating experiences to his repertoire.

Having the submissive so close to him enveloped Jacob in a warm comfortable blanket of love and desire. Seth still clung to his master's neck as he mindlessly repeated a hundred _thank you_. Feeling the joy that filled his heart he lifted Seth so they were at eye level. From up close he could see just how soft his skin was and how lush his lips looked. Jacob's expression was intense; threatening even. Seth immediately thought his master could be changing his mind and getting angry by his boldness. Before Seth could ponder any longer Jacob covered his mouth with his in a loving and emotional kiss. The slave's mouth was so warm and inviting, Jake would never get tired of kissing him. "No Seth, thank you"


	15. Chapter 15

**I want to say thank you to all the readers, especially to those who favorite, alerted and reviewed the story. You guys rock! Please know that I'm making an effort to be more consistent with the updates.**

**Goldwolf: Your idea is really good, I actually have something planned along those lines but it will not happen yet. **

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 15**

"Your dad said you needed to talk to me." Stated Quil already annoyed even though he had just entered the room. The look of anger and disgust in his face was obvious to anyone with eyes on their faces. The room reeked of sex and the idea of what Seth had been put through hit too close to home in the mind of the wolf.

"What's your problem?" Asked Jacob completely oblivious to the reason behind Quil's uneasiness.

"It's not important." Answered Quil making an effort to soften his voice. He knew that he needed to avoid making Jacob angry since that would be counterproductive for the young wolf.

"Good, I have no patience for bad attitudes. I'm leaving tomorrow for a month long trip to inspect the outposts along the border and some colonies along the coast and I wanted to ask you something."

"You got it!" Quil interrupted his alpha, already excited for the possibility of taking care of Seth. Like it always happened his mind went a million miles per second and he was already planning to have Seth sleep on the bed and fatten him up. If he was lucky he would be able to figure out a way to get him away from Jacob for good.

"I haven't told you yet. Are you in the habit of agreeing to something before you even know what it is?" Jacob chuckled lightly acknowledging Quil strange behavior. Of all the wolves Quil was the most level headed. Shape shifters as a rule had very short tempers but some like Paul, Collin and Jacob were especially volatile. Quil was the opposite of Paul and that was one of the reasons why they complemented each other perfectly. In battle Paul was quick to react while Quil was the best at strategizing.

"You don't need to, I'll be happy to look after Seth." Jacob smirked broadly his cold eyes reduced to slits as he debated what to do.

"That is _not _what I was going to ask. I wanted to know if you'll be interested in going with us." Jacob decided to play it cool and not put in evidence the anger and jealousy he felt by the mere suggestion of Seth spending a month with another male.

"Who's us?" Asked Quil

"Me and Seth." Jacob wished he would've had a way to permanently record Quil's expression. It was a mixture of anger, surprise, distrust, in general a "_what the fuck?"_ face.

"You cannot be serious; you're bringing a slave with you? Do you have any idea how crazy that is? In the first place you don't take a submissive on vacation; you'll be the laughingstock of everyone we run into. In second place, the border is no place for a submissive, the wolves will want to mount him the second they see him and you know that." Quil's mouth was moving faster than he could think, this was a terrible idea. He didn't care that much for Jacob being ridiculed, he was a big boy and he could take it. In the instance that it got out of hand his alpha wouldn't hesitate to rearrange the face of the offending wolf. What did worry him tremendously was the idea of Seth getting hurt. Those men wouldn't have any consideration when it came to the small wolf and that meant a world of pain directed towards the submissive.

"That's why you're coming along; between the two of us no one will lay a finger on him. If things get too complicated I will issue an alpha command and the offending wolf or wolves will have to run with their tails between their legs." Jacob sounded so cocky and arrogant but instead of infuriating Quil it amused him.

Seth walked into his master's office making both dominants turn to look at him. It didn't matter who it was or where they were, any dominant will be aware of his presence. Nobody really understood the reason for this but unfortunately for the submissives it supported the idea that the subs main purpose was to serve the dominants, hence the strong appeal they presented.

"What is it Seth?" Asked Jacob, his voice suddenly softer.

"I'm going to the kitchen to fetch your lunch, master. Will Mr. Quil be having lunch here as well?" Seth's voice was almost imperceptible to the dominants. The slave was very intimidated by his master and even though he considered Quil his friend and he had been nothing but caring and loving towards him, experience had showed him that man is dominated by his instincts and desires, any wolf could turn into an attacker at any moment.

"Hello Seth" Quil greeted the slave without even bothering to look for Jacob's approval. If the alpha wanted him to come along he was going to learn to accept the way Quil treated subs.

Seth remained silent afraid of speaking and breaking the rules. Instead with his eyes still downcast he lifted his right hand in a motion that was meant to be a wave but looked more like a small muscle spasm. "You can talk to me, Jacob won't mind. Right Jake?" Quil had known Jacob for many years and knew exactly what buttons to push to annoy him without it being a risk to the defenseless wolf who served as his victim at that moment.

"You can talk to him, I don't mind." The one surprised with Jake's reaction was Quil, he didn't expect his alpha to ever address a slave in such a way. His voice was almost tender, too sweet for the temperamental and unstable wolf.

"Hello sir." Seth's voice was barely a whisper. His whole body language screamed fear and apprehension.

"That's enough chit chat, go get my lunch and bring something for this idiot too." It took a couple of seconds for Quil and Seth to realize that Jacob was trying to be funny. Neither Quil nor Seth were used to hearing humor in Jacob's voice. They were both grateful for it but the only thought in their minds was how long it would last.

Seth returned from the kitchen with a tray overflowing with food and found both dominants studying a map and making plans. The slave set the table for both males and shyly announced that lunch was served. Quil quirked an eyebrow when he saw the amount of food Jacob had given Seth. He felt a small smile creep up his lips but caught himself before Jake would notice. Quil had honestly never seen Jacob be so generous to anybody, much less a submissive. The norm with him was to give them just enough to keep them alive, it didn't matter if they were never satisfied and went to bed hungry every night.

The next morning Jacob said good bye to his father and walked outside to join Seth and Quil who patiently waited for him. He took off Seth's collar and ordered him to phase before strapping a leather bag around Seth's wolf body. They were traveling very light, just a change of clothes, razors and soap. They would hunt for their food and anything else could be harvested from any house in their path.

Billy watched them until the bodies of the chocolate and russet wolves and the smaller sandy wolf disappeared behind the tree line. He lifted his eyes to the heavens and prayed to God and to his wife Sarah to keep his son safe and free of harm. The Aleph had been very surprised when Jacob informed him he was taking his sub with him. He didn't question the young alpha; regardless of Carlisle opinion about Jacob and his sub, as a father he felt there was something there bigger than Jacob's lusty desires.

The three wolves had been running for six hours when their stomach's started rumbling loudly. Since the pandemic most cities had been rendered impassable. Without proper maintenance older buildings were collapsing and the wolves were warned to avoid going close to any tall structure. Only a few roads were kept in order and that was for the only purpose of transporting food along the coast where most colonies were located. Luckily for them they didn't need to visit any grocery store, long horned cattle and even bison had flourished and they ran rampant all over the land. Also without man's intervention the deer, elk and antelope population had exploded to unprecedented numbers.

Quil and Jacob were stealthy in their movements as each one of them approached their victims. Seth sat back quietly not wanting to be in their way. He gasped when in the blink of an eye both wolves had buried their sharp canines on the throats of their victims and stood over them devouring their meat.

_Seth out here you hunt your own food, don't expect me to feed you_. Seth was startled by Jacob's voice loud and clear inside his head. He had never heard it before seeing that he only phased for one hour once a week and that was usually at times when Jacob was not around.

The slave looked around him trying to remember what he just saw Quil and Jacob do. He could hear and smell many forest dwellers but didn't have the experience to know how to go at hunting one. Walking around he saw a rabbit and ran after it but the small mammal was faster than him and hid, evading the wolf.

_Damn it man, that's fucking pathetic, there is so much to eat and you go after a glorified rat? The worst thing is that you couldn't even get it; I guess a bunny was smarter than you_. Said Jacob mockingly.

Seth felt embarrassed it was not his fault but he still felt guilty for not knowing how to hunt. _Jake don't be such a jerk, are you so blind that you can't see what's happening? _Quil's tone was judgmental with an undertone of sadness.

_I guess I don't, enlighten me my friend_. Answered Jacob sarcastically

_Seth doesn't know how to hunt_. Through their mind link they felt the confusion in Jacob's thoughts.

_Is that true slave? _Asked Jacob.

_Yes master, I was sold right after my first phasing and initiation. None of my previous masters allowed me to leave their homes, I've always been fed what my masters provided. _Both dominants gasped when a blurry and controlled image of pain and torture attacked Seth's thoughts. As quick as it appeared Seth pushed it back to the part of his brain where his worst memories resided.

_Come Seth I'll share with you_. Quil stopped eating and assessed Seth's reaction to his offer since the slave's mind had gone quiet. Seth stood up and started walking towards his friend; that was until they both heard a loud growl and turned to look at Jacob. His teeth were bared and his snout red with the blood of the elk he had been feeding on.

_Back off Quil, he is my submissive, I feed him_. Jacob was livid, how dare that little dog go to his friend? He knew Seth was hungry and he should've been more understanding but he couldn't help himself. Jacob had to shield his thought so neither Seth nor Quil would see the real reason for his anger.

The submissive stopped on his tracks and turned, walking in his master's direction. There was not much left on the carcass and he only got to nibble on one of the legs. Quil was fuming, how could Jacob be so selfish that he would rather starve Seth than allow him to feed him? The alpha looked in Quil's direction and ran off only to re-appear several minutes later dragging a deer. The kill had been so efficient and quick they didn't hear a thing. Jacob placed the animal before Seth in a way that looked very much like he was giving an offering.

_Eat _ordered Jacob to which Seth responded immediately piercing through the fur and the muscle. He didn't really enjoyed the flavor, it was very unappetizing in his opinion. He made a mental note of as soon as his master allowed him to phase back to collect berries or something to stave off his hunger.

_Picky picky, aren't you? You're a fucking wolf act like it! Berries are not food for us_.

_Fuck Jake stop being such an asshole! The kid never ate raw before, you know as well as I do that it takes some getting used to._

_Mind your own business Quil, if you don't agree with the way I treat my slave talk to your alpha. Wait, that's me and I don't give a damn, so shut up! _Both dominants were just minutes away from starting a fight, the hackles on their necks were raised and a menacing snarl on their faces. Seth had to think fast, he didn't want to choose sides, invariably he would side with his master but Quil was his friend and he didn't want to betray him. He had to do something to defuse the situation before it got to the point of no return.

_Thank you for hunting this for me master. _Timidly approaching his master he dropped to his belly and licked his master's legs. The change in Jacob was immediate; he went from ferocious wolf to sweet puppy in a matter of seconds. Jacob nudged Seth with his nose and licked his face as well.

Quil remained quiet and immobile; he didn't want to disturb the incredible act playing in front of him. Had he just witnessed the fierce alpha of the east pack being turned to mush by a little dog? He couldn't believe his eyes, deep down he was wary but happy that something amazing seemed to be happening.

After they all had their fill and drank water in a nearby creek they resumed their trip, they wanted to arrive at the first post before sundown and redoubled their speed to achieve it. To the dominants it was an easy task but to Seth with his considerably shorter legs it was a little harder but he was nonetheless able to keep up with the monstrous wolves.

As they approached the first post they were greeted by a younger wolf with cream and brown fur. The wolf kept looking in Seth's direction and smacking his lips. Quil and Jacob tensed knowing very well what was going through the wolf's mind. Upon arriving to the command post they phased donning their clothes and after placing Seth's collar back on Jacob instructed Quil not to leave the submissive's side.

"Look what the cat dragged in, how are you man?" The alpha of the small pack came out of the house to welcome them. Seth hid behind Quil when he noticed all the weird looks he was receiving from the five wolves.

"Damn it Jacob, you shouldn't have but I'm fucking glad you did." It was obvious to all the men present that Jacob was confused by the alpha's comment. "You brought us some entertainment, he smells fucking good, I call dibs!" said the wolf loudly making the men under his command groan annoyed.

"Hum… no. He is not here to entertain any of you. He belongs to me and you know very well I'm a selfish bastard that doesn't share." Jacob's spoke in a sickly sweet tone while smiling, but he was not fooling anyone, he was not one to be taken lightly.

"Man you're so full of shit, it's like waving a steak in front of us and taping our mouths shut. C'mon we haven't seen any new faces in a long time." The alpha had enough common sense to know when he had no hope of winning an argument and went quiet, but a young wolf too eager for his own good insisted.

The young man looked no older than fifteen, with shoulder length hair and small green eyes. With a smug and defiant attitude the insolent wolf jumped towards Seth who at the moment was standing a few steps behind Quil who had moved to flank Jake in case a fight arose. The impact knocked Seth on his back with the wolf on top of him. Within a flash he grabbed Seth's crotch and covered the slave's mouth with his own. Soon enough he would realize that had been a really bad move.

Jacob charged toward the pair and twisting the wolf's hair around his fist lifted him up in the air only to toss him against a thick tree which splintered from the impact, making dozens of leaves to fall around them and be blown away by the light wind. The young wolf's body fell to the ground lifeless and limp, but his heartbeat was strong and fast. Jacob motioned to move towards him, a sadistic expression etched on his features. All the wolves stood frozen on their places, their mouths agape in a mixture of awe and shock.

Jacob felt a warm hand grab his arm and his head swiveled to the left to see who dared interfere with him disciplining the impertinent wolf. "Jake he is my wolf, let me deal with him." Requested the alpha in a soft but determined and authoritative tone. He was playing his cards right, it was common knowledge that once Jacob Black went on a destruction path there was very little that could stop him and aggravating him would only add to his fury and be detrimental to the object of his wrath. Seth whimpered from his place on the floor, sound that was imperceptible to all the wolves except his master. The snarl on Jacob's face softened and his eyes moved from the alpha beside him to his intended victim.

"Fine, but teach this pup some respect, he should know better than to mess with me. Next time I won't be so merciful." Retorted Jacob "Anyone else wants to challenge me?" Jacob turned towards the other wolves of the pack who almost in tandem lowered their heads and exposed their necks in submission.

"You slut, stand up!" Jacob roared looking in Seth's direction. "I swear to God that if I smell any of these mother fuckers on you I'll kill you." The submissive stood up shaken and confused by his master's sudden change. Seth wanted to think that he was just putting on a show to scare the wolves but doubted he did it for his benefit. They observed as one of the men picked up the unconscious pup and carried him inside the house.

"My apologies Jacob, my guys will stay away from your slave." The alpha's statement was short and to the point. He didn't want his alpha or the Aleph to think he had no control over his pack.

"No harm done, I guess you'll have to go back to fucking each other." The tension that had been almost palpable in the air dissipated enough that all the men present were able to relax again. The four wolves smiled knowingly, of course they had been screwing, there was nothing else to do but patrol and fuck. "Anyway we're tired, is there a bed inside for me or should I sleep out here?" Jacob didn't care either way, he was not one to demand comfort but if a bed was available he would gladly take it.

"Take any of the beds but none of the rooms have chains for the sub." Stated the alpha with barely disguised disdain.

"That's not a problem, he won't escape." Jacob took one of the rooms on the second floor and Quil the one right beside him. Before going to sleep the master made Seth ride him, he was horny as hell and was looking forward to fucking his sub. Quil was in the middle of hell, on one side Jacob who didn't know the meaning of the word discreet. On the other side a wolf was jerking off to the lecherous sounds coming from Jacob's room. Quil covered his ears hard with his hands trying to muffle the disturbing sounds; he felt that if he had to listen to the flapping sounds much longer he would vomit. He couldn't wait for them to finish, it was painful enough knowing what Jacob did to Seth but to hear them was pure torture.

Early the next morning they went on their way after a short meeting between the alphas. _Damn it Jake that was too close for comfort, I was sure those men were going to attack us._

_I know, can you believe that before we left their alpha asked me to at least let him give him a blow job. _Seth's mind remained quiet as he wondered how much longer his master would protect him. What was the reason for his presence? Was he a bargaining chip in case any of the alphas didn't want to cooperate?

In every post they visited the story repeated itself, horny wolves, discussions, bargaining and compliance. One of the posts was especially nasty, the alpha obviously despised Jacob and went as far as pushing him aside to get to Seth. The submissive wished he could turn invisible and avoid what was coming. Jacob surprised everyone including himself when he chose to attack one of his own in favor of a slave. Quil could barely contain his excitement, of one thing he was certain, Jacob had feelings toward his submissive. It was absurd but it was the only logical explanation.

_Well Quil here is where we part ways, you have your instructions. _Seth's step faltered when he heard his master latest statement. He was sending Quil on his way and they were going in a different direction. What was he planning to do? Seth feared that if in the house where he was surrounded by family and friends Jacob was a breathing living nightmare, out there he could be even worse. Maybe he even planned new ways to torture the slave to see how much he could endure and at the end he would quietly dispose of the sub.

Seth shook his wolf head to disperse the negative thoughts that were prowling in his head. He had no reason to trust his master other than the gut feeling that everything was going to be just fine. The submissive knew how futile it was to hope for a miracle but weirder things had happened. Who would have thought that creatures that only existed in stories told to scare little kids were actually real? If werewolves and vampires could inherit the earth who says his master couldn't grow a conscience?

_Take care buddy, I'll see you back at the house in a couple of weeks. _Quil's goodbye was short and sweet, like he knew something Seth ignored. The submissive whimpered lightly as he observed the chocolate wolf until it disappeared in the distance. The two weeks they spent visiting the different packs served to show Seth Quil's amazing character. Like most wolves he had lived the loss of loved ones under extraordinary circumstances but not even that made him bitter. He was not particularly happy and Seth doubted he ever will be, at least not until he found out what happened to his brother.

_Stop moping you'll see him in two weeks, what's the big deal? _Jacob was annoyed and frustrated, not only Seth was blocking his thoughts in a way that anyone who didn't know better would think Seth's cranium was hollow with only a little monkey playing the cymbals in it. Even without being able to see his thoughts Seth's preference was obvious, he preferred Quil's company to Jacob's. It was understandable, after all Quil had never placed a finger on him. It still rubbed Jacob the wrong way to see Seth choose his pack brother.

_C'mon I'm hungry lets hunt something. _Quil and Jacob had enjoyed more than one good laugh at the submissive's expense. Both dominants tried to teach him how to hunt but always ended up scaring his prey with their barks of laughter as Seth less than efficient hunting style became hilariously obvious.

_Okay Seth remember how I taught you, stay downwind so your scent won't be detected by the prey. You're pretty fast and your body is small enough to maneuver around the trees, use that to your advantage. It will come to you, it should be instinctual. _Seth listened intently to the instructions his master had given him in several occasions. The submissive was convinced Jacob really thought he was stupid and he needed to repeat himself every time. 

_Now use your nose, what catches your attention? _Seth moved a few steps away from his master and sat on his hind legs. He was determined to show his master he was capable of providing for himself. His ears perked up as a familiar scent reached him.

His eyes, nose and ears pointed toward his target. _About a quarter of a mile in that direction there is a small herd, several adult moose and a few calves. _Seth stood up and stealthy moved in the direction of the herd. Jacob observed him from a distance to make sure he would be safe. He had already scented the area for the presence of other wolves but he was still watchful.

_An adult moose might be too big for you, you have two choices choose a weakened or older member of the herd or we do it together. _Seth's thoughts went blank, he understood very well that it was part of the balance of the ecosystem; the weakened are eaten so the stronger members would breed. The submissive struggled with that non written rule of the animal kingdom for the only reason that it took advantage of the weak, the old and the sick. He thought that maybe that was one of the reasons submissives were killed without giving it a second thought, they were too weak to be successful in evolutionary terms.

_Master if it's ok with you I would prefer your assistance in killing a healthy adult. _Jacob understood Seth's feelings, it was still a kill but in his eyes the submissive was not killing one of his own, he was killing a dominant.

Jacob joined Seth walking side by side, their footfalls were silent and sure, they attempted to conceal their presence so they could get as close as possible without scaring their prey. Once they were detected the herd took off with one adult male standing his ground before moving away from the wolves at top speed. Immediately Seth was in pursue gaining on the animal with ease. Jacob was stunned and proud, unfortunately those feelings were shadowed by the irrational worry that if Seth ever escaped he would never be able to catch up to him. For an instant he considered going to the nearest town to find some chain to bind two of Seth's legs and slow him down but decided against it. Apparently his asshole genes were on vacation that day.

Seth landed the first mortal bite on the moose's back leg making it slow down enough for Jacob to come over and take a big chunk of the perineum, after one more bite from Seth it was game over for the moose. As the animal laid on the ground bleeding to death Seth asked Jacob to bite his neck hard and end its suffering. Both wolves ate excitedly tearing out pieces of the carcass. The master pushed towards Seth the heart and the liver seeing that the submissive was concentrating on the rump and leaving all the internal organs, the best part, for his master. _Here it's your kill, you get the best parts._

_Thank you master. _Seth was confused, debating whether or not he should take the organs, maybe it was a test. It was well known that the alpha always ate first and got the best. Not wanting to disobey his master Seth ate to his delight, enjoying every bite while praying that he wouldn't regret doing it.

After the wolves had their fill Jacob laid down taking advantage of the shadow of a huge oak tree. The master rested his big wolf head on his front paws while he waited for Seth to emerge from behind the trees where he had gone to relieve himself. He let out a huge huff of air when he noticed Seth laying several yards away from him. _What the fuck are you doing all the way there? Lay down next to me. _Seth complied immediately and started walking towards his master. Jacob remembered he needed to ask Seth what had been teasing his mind the last two weeks.

_Seth are all the submissive wolves female? _Jacob's question had been floating around his brain since they left the house and he took a lust filled look at his submissive. Just because they were on wolf form he was not going to stop his voyeuristic tendencies when it came to his submissive.

_I don't think so master, my wolf is female and Embry's is too. _Seth flinched when a loud growl erupted from deep within Jacob's throat at the mere mention of Embry, nevertheless he felt compelled to continue. _But Mike's wolf was male._

_Who the fuck is Mike? _Seth sighed internally, a man died right in front of him and he didn't even care to remember his name.

_The sub who took his life on your father's birthday master. _Billy's birthday was less than a year ago but Jacob had been able to push as far as he could back into his mind the memories of that catastrophic day. He had never seen a submissive take matters into their own hands and the idea that Seth could've followed that same route scared him more than he cared to admit.

_Oh now I remember, Seth did you ever think about doing something like that? _Jacob was hoping Seth's answer would be "no" but he knew it was highly unlikely.

_Yes master, many times. _Seth was truthful; he saw no need to lie to his master. Jacob knew that at least a few times had been after Seth came to his service.

_Seth phase to human. _The submissive did as instructed and in a matter of seconds he sat beside Jacob wearing nothing but his birthday suit. Jacob followed suit sitting up and resting his back on the rough tree trunk.

"Seth promise me, not promise, swear to me that you will never hurt yourself" The first thought in Seth's mind was that he didn't need to hurt himself, his master did a pretty good job at that.

Seeing that the submissive remained silent Jacob insisted, his voice trembling significantly. "Seth please swear." Did Jacob Black just begged to a slave? The master's chest felt tight, his clenched fists the only evidence of the darkness that was invading his soul at the mere suggestion of living his life without Seth. He was glad he ordered his slave to phase and did the same, the last thing he wanted was witnesses to the thoughts that roamed around his mind, those thoughts that he kept sheltered and hidden, those thought were his weakness.

"I… swear master, I will not hurt myself." Maybe it was a false promise but Seth knew in his heart that if he had been able to survive all the horrors that he had been put through there had to be a reason.

Jacob took Seth's hands on his own and bringing them to his lips kissed them tenderly. "Thank you puppy" Seth loved the pet name his master had given him. All his life he was simply Seth and after becoming a submissive his name was the least one used, pushed aside by a repertoire of insults. Something as simple as his master using his name or giving him a nickname meant a lot to the small wolf.

Jacob's lips trailed from Seth's hands to his arms and shoulders, ending up on his neck. His kisses were soft and gentle; the sensual movements of Jake's lips over Seth's skin made him feel like he was on fire. Seth thought how much he liked the attention his neck was receiving and had to stifle a moan when his master nipped it softly with his teeth.

"You're fucking sexy when you moan don't deny me the pleasure of hearing them." Seth didn't hold back, he didn't know if he was obeying his master or genuinely responding to his ministrations. Jacob continued working on Seth's neck but the collar bothered him since it blocked some of the slave's skin and all of Seth belonged to him.

Before Seth could even notice what was happening Jacob had taken his collar off tossing it aside. The slave was surprised but at that moment his desire surpassed any other feeling. "That's more like it, now you're completely naked… all mine" Jacob's voice carried with it the passion that lived in his heart, his breaths coming out in pants as his cock dripped pre-cum onto the soft grass.

"Lie down on the grass Seth." Jacob's voice was soft and sensual, not his usual commanding one. The submissive sighed and began turning on his stomach to brace for what he knew was coming. As he was doing this he felt two big hands grab his hips roughly. "Stay on your back." Commanded Jacob, he rarely took Seth while he laid on his back, he didn't like to see the slave's face contort in pain and his eyes on him judging his actions.

Seth laid on the soft grass, his arms by his sides, his lips dry and his chest moving up and down as he fought to catch his breath. The slave had never seen his master looking at him like he was. Jacob knelt next to Seth, his eyes scanning every inch of the submissive's body. He noticed every hill and every scar. With the exception of several scars in the front of Seth's body the skin was silky soft; his slim body just the perfect size for Jake's taste.

The submissive's eyes wandered to his left as Jacob's studied him. If it wasn't for the fact that he had lost any shred of bashfulness many years before he would've been embarrassed to be under such scrutiny. "Seth I've said this before, don't deny me your eyes, look at me." When the slave's eyes connected with those of his master both men smiled for no reason at all. The submissive began to relax until he felt something on his arm and realized it was his master's turgid member. He knew it was just a matter of time until his master forced himself on him.

Feeling Seth's apprehension, Jacob laid down next to him. Wrapping his right arm over Seth's stomach the master gently guided him until he rolled on his side so he is facing him. The submissive copied his dominant's position and rested his head on his bent arm. His left hand rested on his master's waist, where the warmth and softness of the skin was a feast for the senses. Jacob's hand skimmed warm, smooth flesh, making him yearn to feel himself inside the sub's body. The last rays of the sun caressed the sub's body, his caramel skin bathed in light. He looked like something out of a fairy tale, like a magical creature with the ability to tame the cruel dangerous giant. The pads of Jake's fingers slid down Seth's neck and shoulder making the sub shiver.

Seth could see his master's boyish features; he observed the fine details of Jacob's face that he had never before dared to look at. The submissive unconsciously licked his lips when the curvature of his master's upper lip caught his attention. The slave knew how his lips tasted, he knew how soft they felt and he craved to feel them again. "You know Seth; you can kiss me if you want." Even though Jacob's voice was soft the submissive still panicked, he had been caught. "Don't be scared little one, I'm flattered. I'm happy that I don't disgust you."

Jacob's choice of words caught Seth by surprise, his furrowed eyebrows the only evidence of the questions roaming around in his head. He wouldn't dare ask his master anything, but he was very curious. The master inched forward and pecked the slave on the lips. "Puppy I want you to talk to me, you promised me something, I think I should do the same. I swear that I will not punish you for talking to me or looking me in the eyes." Seth's turned his eyes away from his master. Jacob pinched his submissive's chin between his pointer finger and his thumb and made the slave look at him. "I know you have no reason to trust me but I'll prove to you that you have nothing to fear anymore. I want to get to know you; I want to know everything about you."

The submissive's expression changed making the crease between his brows soften. Jacob welcomed the change; his slave was calmer than he had even seen him. There was still a burden of sadness around him, it would take time, but Jacob was convinced that one day that burden would disappear. Seth shyly ran his fingers through his master's hair; Jacob closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. The master could sense as Seth inched closer to him little by little, his warm breath hitting his face softly and the proximity of his lips making him tremble in anticipation. The slave barely grazed his master's lips with his own, but it served to unleash the beast.

Lips over lips, hands roaming over each other's young, taut bodies. Both men swam in the euphoria of their shared desire. Seth bit the master's lower lip, drawing it into his mouth. Jacob's mind was racing, there were so many things he wanted to do to his sub, and so many things he wanted his sub to do to him. Jacob's hands roamed lower and lower on his slave's body. Seth moaned, his own fingers exploring his master's form, feeling the strong muscles of his arms, the hills and valleys of his abdomen, the small patch of hair over Jacob's manhood. The slave wrapped his small hand around his master's cock and began stroking him. Jake did the same and slid his big hand up and down Seth's dick. Not used to receiving so much attention Seth blew his load all over his master's stomach in a few minutes. Jake followed suit a few minutes later. Jacob pulled Seth toward him, the slave mind still swimming in its post orgasmic bliss. They held onto each other feeling themselves drift off to sleep.

The next morning Seth opened his eyes when the first rays of the sun hit their sleeping forms. He was about to yawn and stretch when he realized Jacob had his arms around him. The slave turned his head but his master had his face burrowed into his neck and he couldn't see if he was awake or asleep. Seth decided to wait until his master woke up, keeping himself busy by observing the world around them. He observed the morning mist and the dew on the grass that still had not been chased away by the rays of the sun. He listened to the sounds of the birds as they began their daily tasks. But more than anything he enjoyed the sound of his master beating heart. Soon enough he felt Jacob stirring and waited to see how his day would start.

His master's lips were on the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine. "Good morning Seth." Greeted Jacob.

"Good morning master." Jacob moved back slightly, opportunity that Seth used to roll on his back. They kissed tenderly, anyone who saw them could swear they had been together for many years and that their relationship was much different from what it really was.

"I would love to stay here with you but we have to get going." Jacob stood up his arms projecting up as he stretched. In that position Jacob gave the impression he was over eight feet tall, making Seth feel even tinier. Seth smiled broadly when he noticed the spots on his master's skin where his cum had dried over the night. As usual Jacob noticed, chuckling lightly. "I think we better go wash up before we phase."

In no time they were on their way traveling north in the direction of the great lakes. _Master may I ask where we are going? _Seth took a chance to ask his master a question seeing that he had been in an excellent mood all morning.

_It's a surprise _Jacob's answer didn't provide much information and Seth didn't push the subject.

Soon enough they approached their destiny. At first Seth didn't recognize it, after all, fifteen years had passed since he last saw the place. As they got closer the familiarity struck Seth. _Master this road leads to my hometown, why are we going this way? _Jacob sensed the hesitance and the nerves radiating from the sub. Stopping he nuzzled Seth, his brown eyes softening as he looked at how distressed the slave was.

_What's wrong? _Jacob's voice was laced for concern. He thought it would be a great idea to bring Seth to the place where he grew up and couldn't understand the reason for his anxiety.

Seth took a few minutes to organize his thoughts before he could effectively communicate with his master. _You see, the last time I saw this place was when I was being taken away after my initiation. They took me through the outskirts of town so people wouldn't see the state I was in. This small town holds so many memories, some really good and some so God-awful that they only belong in horror stories. _Seth was unable to continue walking when a flood of images moved in his mind so fast that they were a blur.

_Shit I really fucked up, I thought I was doing something good for you and I was sadly mistaken. Come let's turn around, we don't have to go there; we have other places to visit. _Jacob turned around and began walking in the opposite direction but stopped when he realized Seth was not following.

_Master you hear that? _

_I hear nothing Seth, what do you mean?_

_Exactly that, there are no sounds coming from that direction except the sounds of the forest. It's not a big town but you would expect to hear something. _Jacob also sat and perked up his ears trying to catch any sound that would indicate the presence of people.

_You're right, I hear nothing. _Seth stood up and walked in the direction of the town. He had this eerie feeling in the pit of his stomach, he didn't know if he feared finding the people he grew up with or feared not finding them. Either way he needed to know.

Soon they saw the first structures but were surprised to see they were abandoned. The homes that years ago were filled with the sound of music and the conversations of those who lived there were silent. Both men wondered what had happened in that small town located next to Lake Michigan. As they walked the deserted streets the reason became obvious.

Most streets were covered with at least a foot of mud that hardened over the years. Plants and flowers sprouted all over and moss covered most structures. The majority of the town was in ruins from what seemed to be a flood. Seth's thoughts immediately went to Leah and he prayed inwardly that she had been far away from this God forsaken place before it was destroyed.

_That was my house _They stood before a two story house, that was in fairly good condition when compared to what they had seen of the town so far. It was one of the first homes they found; they had not even reached the center of town.

_You want to go inside? _Jacob was not sure whether or not that was a good idea. The house looked solid enough but Seth seemed to be crumbling to pieces the closer they got.

_Not really, there is nothing there I want to see. The day my father dragged me out of there to throw me to the lions of the council all I could do was beg him to help me escape. He wouldn't hear any of it, instead of fighting for me, he couldn't wait to get rid of me. _Jacob couldn't fathom the idea of a father doing that to their own flesh and blood. Most parents would fight for their sons, some saving every cent they could spare to buy their son's freedom in the case they phased as a submissive. As far as Jacob was aware the only boys who eventually came to be slaves were the orphans and those whose parents had vices that didn't allow them to save any money. Just because there was a new world it didn't mean that the old problems didn't remain.

_Let's get out of here I wish I had a way to burn this fucking place to the ground. _The anger that dwelled inside Jacob's soul was bordering in rage. How could anyone hurt such a gentle soul? He felt ashamed when the realization that he could answer that question better than anyone hit him.

_I changed my mind; there is something I will like to see. My sister, knowing how much my parents hated me and didn't save any of my things, had a plastic bin filled with some of my belongings hidden in a crawl space between her closet and the attic. We named it Seth's pocket. I will like to see if that box is still there. Also I really want to find any evidence that my sister was not here when this place was destroyed. Can we go see master? Please?_

_Anything you want but I want something in return. I want you to tell me about your childhood, how it was growing up here, what where you like. I also want to know what happened after you phased. _At this last request Seth stiffened on his spot.

_You want to know about my initiation? _Asked Seth stunned and scared of having to relive the terrors of that fatidic week.

_Yes I do and before you ask me why I will tell you. I want to know everything about you and if I ever aspire to understand you I need to know. _

_Sure master, I can't deny you anything._

_Puppy believe me, you can, but I feel in my bones I need to hear this. I need to know._ Master and slave phased into their human forms and after each donned a pair of pants they took the first hesitant steps on the creaky steps that led to the front porch. Inside the house waited a truth that one of them didn't want to remember and that would change the other one forever…


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello! As always thank you so much to all the readers that are still with me. Especially to all of you who alerted, favorite and reviewed. I think the story is about halfway done, it's hard to tell since sometimes the words take a life of their own and a lot more is said than initially intended. This chapter is one of my favorites so far and one of the most difficult to write, hence taking a little longer to finish it. That said, it is a somewhat sad chapter, I hope you bear with me, Seth's story is in no form or shape a happy one but there is a lot more behind it than meets the eye. **

**I want to thank BlueAnchor for her/his wonderful reviews in this story and IWCY. I really appreciate you taking the time to notify the readers that IWCY had been adopted, you rule!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 16**

Jacob walked a few steps ahead of Seth as they climbed up the steps, the old rickety porch creaking under their weight. The submissive turned to look around while wondering how long ago the village had been left deserted. Jacob jiggled the doorknob which just as he suspected was unlocked and he pushed the door open.

"Seth don't come in just yet, stay here." Jacob walked in scenting the air and looking for any evidence of Seth's family having perished in the flood. The last thing his slave needed to mess up his head even further was to find the shriveled dead bodies of his family.

Inside the house the air was stale, the dust particles floating in the air as Jacob disturbed them. The mud that most probably was left behind after the waters receded had hardened forming a thick crust on the checking the house he came back out to find his submissive in exactly the same spot he left him. He knew his submissive was extremely obedient but watching him stay still as a statue waiting for his master's instructions confirmed that fact. "You can come in now."

"They're not in there right?" Asked Seth, hesitance and worry in his tone. He guessed his master went ahead of him to make sure he wouldn't have to confront the bodies of his family. His master had been acting differently but he still wondered when he would revert to his usual abusive self; he prayed it would never happen but his prayers had never been answered before, why would they start now?

"No, I checked every room in the house; I think they have been gone for a long time. Probably before the flood happened." Jacob had no way to be sure but he wanted to put his submissive's mind at ease.

Seth walked inside his nose crinkling at the smell that permeated in the room, a combination of dust, humidity and rotting wood. Jacob tried to pry open a window but the years had sealed it in place. Instead he opened the back door to at least get some cross ventilation. The living room was spacious, the floor mated from the years and the dust, the curtains yellowed and the sparse modern furniture rotting on its spot.

A small smile crept up on Seth's lips as the memories of his childhood flooded his mind. Looking at the old sofa he remembered how his sister used to chase him all over the house and he tried to hide behind the sofa. He should've known better than to try to hide from a she-wolf, Leah found him every time. She made him pay by tickling him until tears ran down his face and he begged for mercy. He loved those times with his sister, when their parents would leave to go play cards with friends or to some dinner party. Invariably Seth was never allowed to attend and Leah always made excuses so she could stay with him. Seth heard her use of the word cramps so many times that one day he just came out and asked her. That day she explained all the wonders of the female reproductive system. He was grossed out for a week.

Jacob looked around the room, noticing the shadows on the spots on the walls where at one point a frame hung and all that remained was a rectangular shadow. "Seth I'm certain they left before the flood, look." He said pointing at the walls. "If they had to leave in a hurry they wouldn't have time to take down whatever was hanging here."

"You're right master, they took my mother's paintings." Jacob arched a perfect eyebrow and looked questioningly at Seth. "My mother was very talented; she would make my sister pose for hours telling her a million times to stay still so she could capture her beauty."

"Wow I would've loved to see a painting of you as a child." Without the technology or materials for developing pictures over the years all cameras became obsolete and were left collecting dust in closets and cabinets. Nobody really cared anyway; there were too many more important things to worry about.

"There were none." Stated Seth sadly.

"What do you mean? Why not?" Asked Jacob perplexed.

"My mom never wanted to paint me, I asked her once and she slapped me, so I never asked again." Seth's words were laced with pain. Jacob pondered just how long his slave had been suffering. He was afraid it had been way longer than the fifteen years since he phased for the first time. Jacob's mind was overflowing with questions but he was afraid he would not like any of the answers he would hear.

"Slave, what is your name?" Jacob's question took Seth by surprise, he thought that if his master was going to ask him something it would've been related to the paintings but instead surprised him by going a completely different way.

The slave had to think quickly, trying to determine what would be the best answer; he decided to respond the safest way he knew possible. "It's Seth Black, master."

"Black?" Questioned Jacob.

"Yes master you own me and slaves take the name of their owners." Explained Seth, for somebody of Jacob's stature he was pretty ignorant of the simplest facts. Then again, he was never interested in learning anything about his submissives. All he wanted to know was when he would get a new one after killing the current one.

"Well I knew that." He lied "I meant your family name." Seth had to stop and think before answering. It had been so long since he had heard that name that he was surprised he even remembered it. At first slaves didn't even have a surname, they were stripped of their family name at the same time everything else was taken from them. But with time the need to have better control over the submissives made them decide to assign them the name of their owners.

"Clearwater" He answered absentmindedly. "Seth Clearwater, master" The submissive mumbled the name to himself for no reason at all.

The pair continued exploring the house, arriving at the ample kitchen with white cabinets that were falling apart falling victim to the termites. Seth looked around until his eyes stopped on the most insignificant item in the whole room. Approaching the wall adjacent to the broom closet the submissive shivered when his index finger inched towards a small nail on the wall. It was like he was almost afraid of touching it, like it could burn him or give him an electric shock. He had to inhale sharply when his finger rested on the rusted piece of metal.

Jacob was curious about Seth's odd behavior and standing beside the slave searched his face looking for answers. The eyes of the submissive were transfixed on the nail, the moisture increasing slowly until it started spilling from the corners of his eyes. "What's wrong Seth?" Whispered Jacob.

Seth woke up from his trance like state, his eyes darting away from his master as he tried fruitlessly to conceal his tears. Jacob wouldn't have any of that, when he asked a question he expected an answer immediately. Gently resting the back of his hand on the submissive's cheek Jacob made him turn his head towards him. "I asked what's wrong submissive. What hung on that nail? " Jacob asked sternly.

"My father's belt." Seth's voice broke drowned by a sob. He breathed deeply to calm himself before continuing. "You see, my father used to beat me with it and lock me in this closet."

"Why did he do that?" Jacob's heart was pounding so hard he felt it in his ears. It was sputtering trying to come back to life after so many years dead.

"He didn't need a reason, he just hated me too much. I'm sure that if he knew I was still alive he would hate me even more." Jacob surrounded the slave's slim body with his strong arms and pulled his head so it would rest on his chest. The master kissed the top of the submissive's head trying to comfort him.

"Why do you say he hated you?" Jacob hated having to ask so many questions, he had no patience for this. He had no other choice since Seth didn't know how to just provide information; he just knew how to answer questions. Years of slavery had erased the basic skills he once possessed.

"Because I am weak." At the mere use of those words Jacob stiffened on his spot and he felt his heart quicken, but he encouraged Seth to continue. "My parents used to say that the happiest day of their lives was when my sister was born. They had been together since before the pandemic and it took them many years to settle down and for my mom to become pregnant." Female shifters were able to conceive but it was not always easy, many only had one child if any.

"After my sister was born my father saw how his standing in the community improved. He was given a promotion at his job and was even asked to sit at the council meetings. My father took full advantage of the fact that the members of the council that had sons were pinning to arrange a marriage between their sons and my sister. My mother jumped on Leah's train and became some sort of socialite. Every night they were invited to somebody's house and everybody in town lavished my sister with compliments and presents. When my mother got pregnant with me my father couldn't believe it, he struck gold. Another daughter meant that his future as a very rich and powerful man was sealed. His friends doted him with praise seeing that he was the only man in our village to father a second child. He was asked to be a member of the council which he proudly accepted. Imagine his disappointment when I was born instead. For days he couldn't bring himself to even look at me. You may be asking yourself how I know this; easy, he told me every chance he got." Seth started shaking slightly and Jacob held him tighter, afraid that if he didn't his submissive would crumble onto the floor.

"After one week he gathered some courage and went up to the room to see me. Right then and there he knew he hated me. He at least hoped that I would be a soldier, bringing pride and honor to the family. But he was in for a rude awakening; I was the smallest baby he had ever seen. My mother tried to convince him I was premature and that I would grow big and strong but that never happened and with every birthday his dream of becoming the most influential person in our town evaporated. At first my mother fought for me but after a while her friend's comments and my father's venom ate at her and she came to detest me too." Jacob rubbed Seth's back making small circles with the tip of his fingers while rocking his slave in his arms.

"My mother stopped taking care of me and that's when Leah stepped in. Once I turned four years old I was no longer allowed at the dinner table and was fed table scraps. My sister would sneak food to my room while my parents slept; she had to wait until they were sound asleep so they wouldn't catch her. I stayed up waiting for her, my stomach grumbling. It's funny; they still dressed me nicely and sent me to school every day. They needed to keep appearances and were admired by the townspeople for being such loving parents. Behind closed doors the story was very different. He would punish me for any little thing, his belt found my back more times than I care to remember." Jacob felt like someone poured a bucket of cold water on him. He stood beside his slave judging Seth's father for the same things he had done many times and probably even worse. He was not better than Harold Clearwater, they were both monsters. Seth left his childhood behind many years before but he was still the little boy with a tear streaked face that scurried to a corner when he saw his father approach, the only difference was that it was not his father who approached him anymore, it was Jacob.

Seth moved away from his master and sat on the step that led from the back door to the yard. Jacob went after him sitting down on the floor of the kitchen since his massive body wouldn't fit on the step next to the slave. Seth's gaze was lost among the pine trees that lined the back yard. Jacob remained quiet not wanting to disturb the submissive's thoughts. After some time Seth sighed deeply and continued. "As the years passed I became the servant, I used to joke that I was Cinderella. I was not allowed to have any friends, there were not many kids in our village but they all bullied me, calling me bastard. Apparently somebody had started a rumor that I was a bastard. My father not wanting to send my mother and me away accepted me here and was raising me as his own flesh and blood. It was a win-win situation for my father, he didn't have to deal with the shame of fathering a potential submissive and people's admiration towards him grew exponentially. I'm sure he started that rumor himself." Seth scoffed at that particular idea.

"My routine was strict and I had to follow it to a T. I got up at five in the morning to make breakfast, make the beds, iron my father's and my sister's clothes and do the dishes before going to school. I came back directly from school, my mom used to time me and if I was late I would pay. I spent the afternoon cleaning and cooking before attempting to do my homework that many nights went unfinished since I would invariably collapse from sheer exhaustion. Luckily there was an elf that would come to my room and do my homework every night. Leah would pack my bag and when I got up in the morning everything was ready."

"And nobody suspected you were being abused?" Asked Jacob, concern and shame eating him inside slowly.

"If anybody did they didn't say anything; my parents were really careful about not bruising me in areas that were too visible and they told me that if I said anything they would kill Leah. I was a pup and I believed them. Now I know that they would've cut off their right hand before causing any harm to come to my sister. They manipulated me shamelessly using my love for my sister to keep me quiet.

Seth's heartache was immense, it was one thing to be hated by strangers but to be abused by the people who were supposed to unconditionally love and take care of him was something he would never understand. He didn't want to say he hated his parents but he did, he hated them even more than any dominant that had ever taken advantage of him. After all, the dominants had no reason to care for him, to them he was nothing more than an animal, but his mother and father… he would never forgive them. "Master, can I go find my box?"

"Sure, let's go." Jacob stood up and extended his hand to Seth to help him stand up as well. Seth took it hesitantly letting go the second he was upright. Out of habit the master walked before his slave even though he had no idea where he was supposed to go, Seth followed him silently.

Once on top of the stairs Jacob looked back towards Seth. "Which one is your room? After what you told me I have an idea which one is it."

"My room is the last one. The biggest one was my parent's room. Leah's used to be two rooms but my father hired some workers to knock down a wall and give her a room almost as big as theirs. Mine is the smallest one."

"That was my guess, but Seth that room is only a little bigger than a closet."

"My father said that I was so small that even a rat hole would suffice."

"Bastard" Mumbled Jacob under his breath.

Seth opened the door to what used to be Leah's room, he was surprised to see that all her furniture was still intact and they seemed to have only taken the clothes and some other items. The submissive took the desk chair and after opening the closet door and turning on the light he set the chair just inside the small space and climbed on it. His father had done something right when he opted for that house, even after so many years the geothermal energy producing system worked as well as the first day. Jacob stood right beside the chair, worry attacking him when Seth climbed on the upper shelf and half his body disappeared over it.

"It's here!" Exclaimed Seth excitedly, his master had never heard him so happy about anything and realized that a small smile crept up his lips at the joy in Seth's voice. "Actually there are two boxes."

The submissive dragged the first box from the crawl space over the closet and handed it to his master who placed it on the floor. He went back up to get the second box and repeated the process. He opened the blue box that he knew contained his treasures. Taking a peek inside Jacob felt great tenderness towards the boy in front of him. It was like Seth transformed into a child before his very eyes. It was not that difficult to picture him since he looked so young, but it went beyond his appearance. It appeared as his youthful innocence was restored if by only a moment. The submissive reached in and smiled broadly when he saw the small stuffed doggy, it was the cutest yellow lab with a brown button nose and brown eyes. Seth rubbed his face on it, the soft material bringing back memories of the soothing sensation he felt every time he hugged his little dog. He had to keep it hidden so his parents wouldn't throw it away. He ripped a small hole on his old beat up pillow and would squeeze it between the material before going to sleep. Seth couldn't believe that Leah saved it for him; well he did believe it, after all she knew how much he loved his only toy.

"Look master this is Cookie." Forgetting the usual protocol Seth addressed his master without any worry, holding the toy up for his master to see. "I named him that because I loved cookies, actually I still do." Seth realized that his eagerness could get him in a lot of trouble and he toned down his excitement.

"This was your favorite toy?" Asked Jacob oddly interested in everything regarding to Seth.

"No, this was my only toy. Leah gave it to me on my third birthday." Jacob didn't utter one word, he couldn't. So many times he had complained about his childhood being cut short by the war. He felt a deep and intense shame, knowing that he at least he had a childhood and loving parents that did everything in their power so he would be happy. On the other hand Seth had neither, it seemed like he only came to this earth to suffer.

Jacob wanted to reach in the box and bring out more items but decided against that. This was Seth's world and he wouldn't dare contaminate it. Almost like he was reading his master's mind Seth reached in and grabbed the smallest baby outfit Jacob had ever seen. The blue pants and cream shirt with duckies on it was something that he would expect to see on a doll. "This was one of my first outfits; I was really tiny, well that never really changed." Seth giggled sadly as he set the clothes aside and reached inside the box to retrieve another item.

The slave picked up a yellowed notebook with wild and majestic horses on the cover. He opened the front cover and smiled looking at his own name written in his five year old hand writing. "Look at that, you had really nice penmanship, how old were you?" Asked Jacob.

"I was five, master, but Leah taught me how to write my name, the basic colors and the numbers from one to twenty before I started school. She was determined to give me any possible advantage; maybe if I did really well in school my parents would find a reason to like me. I was very smart and always got good grades but my parents never cared, to them I was mostly a nuisance." Seth placed his old notebook on the floor and continued bringing out items, small storybooks that his sister used to read to him before bedtime, the hat he had to wear when she tried to give him a haircut that ended up being an epic fail and he looked more like he had been attacked by a rogue lawnmower. Each item contained a memory of his past; some of the memories were good while others he wished he would've never remembered.

Slowly Jacob realized that the only person to ever love his little submissive had been his sister. He wondered how could a person endure so much pain, what made him so strong as to survive everything that he had been put through and still maintain his tenderness and meekness. Jake knew that if that had been his case he would've either killed himself or made everybody's life miserable. The former never really crossed his mind but maybe that was because he opted for the latter and based his life on that principle.

Lost in his thoughts Jacob didn't notice when Seth placed all the items inside the blue box and opened the second box. Seth's gasp brought him back to the present and he saw as the submissive's eyes filled with tears. "What's wrong?" Asked Jacob.

"These are some of the things I left behind when they took me away, my clothes and my notepads. I liked writing stories and poems when I was young; I had so much hope for a happy ending. My stories were always full of optimism and happiness, I was so stupid and naïve." Seth's tone turned bitter for the first time since Jacob had known him.

"You were not stupid Seth, they were the stupid ones because they never saw the wonderful person that was right before their eyes. Will you let me read your stories one day?" Seth blushed knowing that he had never allowed anyone but Leah to read his work. He always thought it was dumb and he would be ridiculed by any person who read it.

"It's not up to me to decide master, if you want to read it I can't oppose. I can't deny you anything." Jacob took Seth's notepad away from him and set it beside him so he could take it with him when they left.

"What's this?" Murmured Seth talking to himself. He extracted a simple white envelope with his name on the front. He pried the envelope open with his thumb and index finger and his eyes went wide as he scanned the words written in blue ink.

"_My dear Seth, I don't know why I'm writing this letter. I know in my mind that you will never read it, but a small part of me is holding on to the hope that you will. It has been so painful to lose you, especially because this could've been avoided if our parents would've had some compassion in their hearts. But I should've known better, I assumed they were human and they are nothing more than demons. I will never forgive them, as long as I live I will despise every second I spend in their presence. From the moment Harold so happily brought you to be slaughtered I despised him and made it very clear he was no longer my father and I will never address him as such. Sue, one day she will have to answer to whoever we face after out deaths for the sins she committed against you. I was helpless against the order Harold placed on me so I wouldn't interfere. I fought the order with all my strength until I found a way around it and contacted Jasper. He immediately made arrangements to pay for your freedom but it was too little too late_." Seth had to stop reading the letter when his vision became blurry and the words got stuck in his throat. He could've been spared all the agony and torture he had to endure. He didn't blame Leah, he truly believed she had tried but also knew his parents were ruthless. Jacob picked up his submissive as gently as he could and sat him on his lap. He looked so fragile that Jacob thought he would break if he handled him roughly. The slave's whole body was shaking in anger, sadness and desolation. Seth leaned against his master, clutching the letter with his trembling hands. Jacob kissed the top of his head and his cheek. The slave felt calmer and was able to continue reading.

"_I ran to the council center with the soldier that brought the note with which to pay for your freedom but they informed me that you had phased five days before and died during your initiation. One of the leaders of the council even took me to where they burned your body and I saw the ashes of what had been my only brother. I wanted to kill them all, little brother I wanted them all dead. I phased and clawed the man beside me and almost killed two others before they stated an order that made me stand down. I didn't care if they killed me, anything was better than to continue living among the people who had tortured you until your body gave up. Of course nothing happened to me; Harold used his influence and explained that I was under a lot of stress because of the wedding and the shame of having a submissive as a brother. I got away with a slap on the wrist. That night I contacted Jasper and asked him to come get me, that I didn't want a wedding, I just wanted to leave this God forsaken place with him. He agreed and arrived the next day to take me away. Surprise surprise, Harold demanded that the wedding take place and that they went to live with us as a condition to allow us to be together. He called the bastards of the council to back him up and the mother fuckers put so much pressure on Jasper that he being an honorable man and because of his love for me and not wanting to risk losing me agreed to their demands._ _Seth tomorrow is the wedding and we'll leave to never come back. I want to be as far away from this place as possible, we'll be sailing to the southern tip of South America were Jasper has some properties to establish ourselves there. As for our parents I have a nice surprise for them at the wedding and can't wait to see their embarrassment." _Seth sighed deeply; at least he could rest assured that Leah came to no harm when the town perished.

"_Sweetie please know that you will always live in my memory and in my heart, the sweet boy with the beautiful smile and infectious laugh. I'll always remember the times we spent talking under the covers, making plans for our future, reading your poems and your stories. You were a light that shone too bright for this dark and horrible world. This family didn't deserve you, you're an angel and I pray than right now you are in heaven among your own. Little brother I only wanted you to grow up and be happy, but they took your chances away. I curse this town and every person in it. I hope that every man that laid their filthy hands on you dies a slow painful death worthy of the wretched creatures they are. Some may deny your very existence and pretend there was never a boy named Seth Clearwater but I know you existed and that you were a wonderful human being. I'll make it my life's purpose to make known that slavery took away the most gentle and loving creature to ever walk the face of this earth. I'll make every effort so one day no other boy will have to go through what you went through. This nightmare has to stop and I will not rest until that's achieved. Until we meet again, your sister, Leah." _Seth cradled the letter pressing it against his chest and the saddest sob escaped his lips. He let go for the first time in years and cried bitterly against his master's skin. His wails carried with them to the heavens above all the pain and suffering that stood behind every minute of his life. His face took a deep shade of red as his wails intensified. He weakly punched his master's chest feeling impotent to do anything to help his situation. Jacob wished he could carry Seth's burden for him, that he could magically make him forget all his past horrors. But just like Seth he was powerless against the evil that was too present in his submissive's memories. All he could do was hold him close to him, rocking him while he wept nonstop.

Jacob was stunned when he noticed moisture on the top of Seth's head and realized he was also crying uncontrollably. The pain of his little submissive was so real, so intense that it was gripping his heart, shaking it wildly demanding that it come to life. The shame he felt for having been another one in a long line of men whose evil almost destroyed his submissive was something he would never overcome. Jacob had to admit that he possessed everything anybody would want but he was broken and empty inside. He hated Seth's parents and wished he could have a few minutes with them, that was all he needed, a few minutes to make them pay. But who would make _him_ pay? He was no different; he had starved, beat and raped the slave, would he have to wait for his death so hell itself would make him pay for his transgressions?

At last Seth's sobs quieted down and turned into nothing more than whimpers. He still held to his master like he was afraid of losing his sanity or his will to live. Jacob's skin felt soothing against his own and the rhythmic beat of his heart lulled him to sleep. Jacob who was also dozing off maneuvered the submissive's body until it was flush against his chest with one leg on each side of him. He placed his arms protectively around the slave and allowed sleep to take him away.

The next morning found them lying down on the dusty floor, Seth still curled against his master's chest and Jacob's arms in a protective embrace. For a change Jacob woke up before his slave when an unforgiving ray of sun shone of his face which luckily shielded Seth's. He was in no hurry to get up and just laid there listening to the birds and the forest creatures in their search for their first meal of the day. Soon enough Seth began to stir, feeling the warmth that surrounded him making his skin tingle. He was startled awake when fear for the punishment he would most likely receive took over his thoughts. Not only he had lost control and cried in front of his master, something that all dominants hated, but he fell asleep in his arms and without pleasuring him. He was afraid to lift his gaze and confront the angry expression of his master, Seth hoped he was still asleep and he would have a chance to not get punished. Slowly his eyes trailed up looking from his master's chest, to his neck, his lips and ending up on his eyes. Seth sighed relieved when he saw no anger on his master's expression, if all it was almost loving.

"Good morning pup" Greeted Jacob.

"Good morning master, I apologize for losing control yesterday I..." Jacob interrupted him making him stop by pressing his lips against Seth's in a chaste kiss.

"No need to apologize, I would've thought you were made of stone if you didn't react the way you did." Jacob kissed Seth once more but this time his lips lingered longer over his sub's lips. He deepened the kiss, his need becoming very obvious when the change in his pants became noticeable. Seth, resigned to his fate moved to get ready to fulfill his duty. Jacob stopped him when he saw his slave begin to push his pants down his narrow hips.

"No" The submissive looked at him quizzically, unable to understand the reason behind his master's behavior.

"Seth I cannot make any promises, but I'll try my best not to hurt you ever again." The slave was so moved by his master's words that he let down his defenses and hugged his master like his life depended on it. Time would tell if Jacob would be able to keep his resolve but for the first time in many years the slave felt hope bubbling inside his being.

"We should leave, I'm starving and I know you must be too. Seth, why don't you bring a few of your things with you? I would tell you to bring everything but it's just too bulky and we wouldn't be able to carry the bins while in wolf form. Don't worry I'll send somebody to retrieve your things." Seth couldn't believe it, he was being allowed to have possessions, they had no monetary value but just having something that he could call his own was a cause for celebration.

After they hunted and ate their fill they decided to walk away from the ruins of what once was a lively village. They were both happy to turn their backs on it to never look back. As it always happens reality had to slap them on the face when half a mile away from the town they were confronted with the gates of hell. Jacob became concerned when he noticed the change in Seth's demeanor; he was shaking, his heart racing while his mind turned into a jumble of thoughts. The house looked like any other country home, a two story house with big windows that had shutters on each side, what seemed to have been a beautiful garden at some point and a spacious porch the led to the front entrance. Like every other structure in town it showed the effects of time on it, in addition of the clear demarcation of where the water reached during the flood.

_Seth what's this place?_ _Your heart sounds like it's going to jump out of your chest_." Asked Jacob concerned and on the verge of picking up Seth by his scruff and getting him out of there.

_It's the council center; here is where I was initiated as a submissive slave._ Each one of Seth's words carried tremendous pain.

Seth stood before the crumbling structure and phased back to human. Not bothering to put pants on he approached the house and stopped at the base of the four steps that led to the porch. Jacob followed suit but he grabbed Seth's arm to call his attention. The submissive turned to look at his master with a hollow expression in his tortured face. "Seth don't go in there, let's keep going."

"Master if it's ok with you I will like to go in there, don't ask me why, but I feel I need to face this demon. Also, I thought you wanted to hear about it." Seth's tone was slightly accusatory, like he was judging his master for the morbid desire he felt to know his sub's story of pain and suffering. Jacob was uncomfortable, not with Seth's accusation but with the possibility of what could be waiting for them inside. He considered the idea of just picking up his submissive and running in the opposite direction as far as his legs would take him. Seth's courage and decisiveness made Jacob opt for going into that house of horrors.

Walking inside the house look like any other structure in ruins, the wallpaper was peeling off the walls, the chandelier that at one point was the crowning glory of the foyer was nothing but a dust covered heap of glass on the floor. The two wolves maneuvered themselves carefully around the broken glass that littered the floor. "When the fever started we were brought here and taken to a huge room in the back of the house. There we waited until we phased, the dominants were returned to their families unscathed, the submissives ran with a very different luck. Unless your parents had given a deposit as a guarantee that they would cover the total amount they were taken to a different structure behind this house, come I'll show you." Seth walked ahead of his master, as if the anger and resentment that was boiling in his chest extended to his master.

They entered a big room with six beds pushed against the back wall and a big open space. "There were five of us in my group; they said it had been the biggest group ever. We were each assigned a bed in which we rested, too exhausted from the chills and the vomiting, well why am I telling you this? you went through it." Jacob followed his submissive into the murky room; he looked around realizing that he had it better than even he knew. He was never in a place like this; when his symptoms started his own father, with Carlisle's help, took care of him. He doubted that the council was informed, not that anybody thought he would be a submissive but his father wouldn't want to risk it and was prepared to do anything in his power to protect his only son.

"The first one to phase was a kid two years older than me; he was the biggest bully in our town. He phased into a dominant but at least he didn't have the make of a soldier. I still remember his words as he was leaving to go back home 'don't worry Seth I'll ask my dad to bring me over to fuck you when you phase, submissive' the funny thing is that I have no idea if he came or not. The second one to phase was another dominant; he was nicer than the first one and only looked at me with pity in his eyes as he was leaving. The third one to phase was the oldest one in our group, he was seventeen, he was smaller than most but I'm sure he thought he would be a dominant. Imagine his surprise when he phased into a submissive, they waited for him to calm down enough and phase back to human and dragged him away kicking and screaming." Seth paused for a moment before continuing; Jacob approached him and laced his fingers through his submissive's, knowing that a difficult part of his tale was coming up.

"There were only two of us left and the odds were seriously against me. Emmet was the closest thing to a giant in our town and his father was an alpha. He had the biggest crush on my sister and was always nice to me. Of course my father never wanted him for Leah; he had his eyes on a landowner of some kind. I was awoken around midnight with the biggest need to run outside but we were locked in here and I phased right there." Seth pointed a shaky finger at the center of the room.

"Of course I was a submissive; Emmet started crying as soon as he saw me knowing that my fate was sealed. He came over and helped me calm down so I could phase back, I did and he held me until morning. We lied down on his bed together until dawn, little did I know that it would be the last time I would sleep on a bed. Two men came in the room to bring our breakfast and realizing I had phased took me away knowing very well I was a submissive. I didn't even fight them; it was futile to do so." Without saying anything Seth exited the room in the direction of a smaller structure not far from the house. It was well within earshot of the main house.

Both men were taken aback by the putrid smell originating from the entrance and noticed a dead possum. They walked over it and entered the structure. It was divided into four rooms but only one was visible from where they stood. It looked like a waiting area of some kind with chairs and tables scattered all around. Seth opened a door to their right and entered the dark room; Jacob couldn't believe his eyes where what looked like a cell shocked him into reality. "This was the holding cell, Tyler was curled on the floor crying when I arrived, he had not been fed but so far nobody had touched him. I was pushed inside and the two men left. Sometime later two different men came in the cell and blindfolded us, one of them was my teacher. Minutes later we heard some shuffling and before I could even guess who it was I received my first blow. I was standing up shaking to my core and a fist connected with my gut making me bend forward. Based on what I heard I guessed Tyler was receiving the same treatment. I don't know how many they were, but they beat us until we lost consciousness. When I woke up we were alone in the cell. I removed the blindfold and saw a bloody mass on the floor and realized it was Tyler; I probably looked just as bad. He was lying down on his side crying quietly. I couldn't even move, my whole body was screaming at me, it was difficult to breathe and my eyes were so swollen I could barely see. How that damn blindfold stayed on with those men barreling on my eyes, I will never know. For the first time in my life I wished for death to find me in my sleep, and it was only the beginning. The worse was still to come." Seth moved out of the cell with Jacob in tow. He wouldn't dare make a sound, he never cared to know how the initiations happened, but now that he knew he would never forget it.

The room adjacent to the cells was nothing but an open space with drains on the floor and an old hose coiled on a rusty reel on the wall. Seth made no comments about that room and continued to the next door. That place was like a macabre haunted house where each door opened to a new and worse nightmare. Seth pushed the door open and stood frozen on his spot. A sob escaped his lips as he brought his hands to his face and covered his mouth. He didn't know why he was torturing himself but knew that his master needed to see this. His hand darted to that of his master and Jacob grabbed it hastily. The room looked like taken out of a horror story, three hospital style curtains old and faded by the dust and the years hung from the ceiling almost reaching the floor. Jacob didn't know what he was looking at but Seth knew all too well. Partially covered by the shredded pieces of cloth were three narrow tables. They were made out of wood but with steel reinforced legs. What was unexpected were the five restrains on them, one on each leg with a wider and longer one around the center of the table. "What the fuck is that?" Asked Jacob while pointing at it with a shaky finger.

"This master is where they strapped me so I wouldn't trash around too much while they raped me." Incredulity tinted Jacob's features, how was it possible that this took place right under their noses and nobody did anything about it? Then again, if all the dominants were like him they basically didn't give a damn. He wondered if his father was aware of this or not, he doubted that the Aleph would be ignorant to what took place during these so called initiations which were nothing more than an exercise in torture. Taking advantage of the weak for the benefit of the strong. Jacob went around the table looking at the worn leather on the restrains.

"I was in this one while Tyler was in that one over there." Said Seth pointing to the table on the opposite side to where they stood. "The second day they blindfolded us again and brought us here, I can still remember the smell of blood and shit in the room and the roughness of the leather against my skin. They bent me on this table face down and spread my arms and my legs tying them to each leg of the table. Finally they looped the belt around my waist and tied it down as tight as they could without cutting off my respiration. Two persons came in the room, one walked in Tyler's direction and the other stood behind me. After a few minutes of grunting and a weird flapping noise I felt something pushing against my naked behind, then a burning pain, like I was being burned from the inside out. I started screaming, begged him to stop, it hurt so much, he had no pity and of course didn't stop. He just did what he came to do without any compassion. After he was done he withdrew and I could smell the metallic scent of my blood and his putrid fluid that was seeping out of me. I don't know how much time passed, felt like only minutes. Before I knew it another man was inside me, Tyler's screams and my own mixed in this room bouncing off the walls around us. I think it went on all day; I'm not sure since I kept coming in and out of consciousness. At the end of the day they unstrapped us and dragged us to the room we just passed where they hosed us clean. Neither one of us could walk so they had to drag us by the armpits back to the cell."

"The next day we were beat again and when they got bored with beating us they tied us to these torture apparatus and raped us. Just like the day before we were hosed and taken to the cell where they had left a bowl with some food. We huddled together on the floor bruised, cold and in serious pain. It was hard to see through my swollen eyelids but still managed to get some food inside me before falling asleep. The next day they passed on the beatings and brought us directly here. Did I mention my father took part of the beatings? I don't think he raped me because I would've detected his scent, but I'm sure he was one of the men who beat me. That day the steady stream of men continued for hours, by the little bit of light coming from outside I guessed it was almost nighttime when several men came in and walked in Tyler's direction. I don't know what they did to him but he wouldn't stop screaming it was nothing like the previous days. These were bloodcurdling screams that I would never forget as long as I live. After a while the screaming stopped and I was glad that apparently he had lost consciousness. I heard one man ask if I was going to get the same treatment and a different voice told him I was too small and wouldn't survive it."

"What did they do to him?" Asked Jacob.

"I don't know master, when they took us back to the cell Tyler was still unconscious and wouldn't stop bleeding. I thought about trying to wake him up so he would eat something but decided against it. If he was asleep at least he was not hurting and his healing would pick up. I tried to sleep but the throbbing pain on my backside wouldn't let me rest and I was worried for Tyler. I crawled to where he laid very still and he felt cold to the touch and his breathing was almost imperceptible. I tried to call him but I had no voice because of the hours of screaming, I shook him trying to startle him awake but nothing worked. I pulled his head to my lap and held him until he stopped breathing. Master have you ever seen somebody die?"

"Yes I have; my mother died in my arms." Stated Jacob simply.

"Then you know it's something you never overcome, it haunts you for the rest of your life. The next morning when they saw that Tyler was dead one of the men ran back out and came back in with one of the council leaders. He was raving mad, not because Tyler had been killed but because they wouldn't get the revenue from selling him. There was a lot of yelling, nobody wanted to take responsibility for killing him. Several men came and took away his body to be burned. I guess his body was the one they showed Leah. They told me that I was in luck because my initiation was going to be cut short by one day, yeah right, lucky me. Then they explained to me what was expected of a slave, fitted me with my collar and took me away from here forever. A week later we arrived at the auctions and I was sold the same day."

"Seth if it was anyone else telling this story I would call them liars but you have never lied to me and I don't think you are doing it now. I've lived in ignorance and denial for so long that I'm ashamed. This place can only be described as a torture chamber, what you describe shouldn't even be done to an animal. Little submissive, I don't know how you survived all this and to think that I prolonged and added to your suffering…" Jacob's voice trailed off as he saw Seth walked around the table and kick the wall angrily, he asked himself what he had said to make Seth react in such a way. But he had no right to question anything; the slave had all the right in the world to be pissed and want to destroy the damn place.

"Pup wait here, I'll be back in a few." Jacob left Seth only to come back several minutes later carrying an ax and a big hammer. He asked Seth to choose and the submissive understanding perfectly his master's intentions grabbed the ax from his hands. Right before his master's eyes Seth turned into an ax yielding one man wrecking crew. Jacob moved to the back of the room and went bat shit crazy on the table were they had tortured Tyler. After Seth finished obliterating the table where he has been initiated he went to the other one, then the walls, also pulled down the curtains and stomped on them. When they were finished the room looked like a storm went through it, leaving behind destruction and chaos. Seth stood in the center of the room, his chest raising and falling rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He let the ax fall to the floor and searched the room for his master. Jacob was already standing by the door reaching towards Seth. The submissive held his hand tightly as they left the house of horrors turning his back on it and closing the book on that nightmare.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the readers. Whether you review, alert or favorite, each time I get a notification it makes my day.**

**Hello Blue Anchor, I'll try to answer some of your questions here. Unfortunately there are some questions I cannot address because they can give key points of future chapters or previews which could spoil it for some readers. In chapter three when Jacob is angry because of the flogging, hitting Seth with a belt didn't even constitute abuse (in the eyes of most dominants) and it was not against the rules. And no you are not becoming annoying at all, pinky swear. **

**About Eric, several readers asked what happened to him. I can't say what was done to him but what they did caused irreparable damage to his insides and he died from hypovolemic shock. **

**Last but not least a huge shout out to my friend Ratts, she gave me amazing ideas for this chapter. Check out her stories, they are awesome. **

**My gosh the disclaimers are almost as long as the chapter itself, slight exaggeration I know. After the heavy angst filled previous chapter I felt the need for a light "fluffy" chapter. So here it is, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 17 **

Jacob sat comfortably under a tree enjoying the soft breeze while watching his submissive. It had only been two days since reality took over and bitch slapped him. Seth had been quieter than usual which for the small submissive meant he was virtually a mute. The master understood Seth needed time; he had to face his demons in order to teach his master a valuable lesson. Jake decided to give the submissive his space as he struggled to come to terms with all the new information in his head.

After they left the house of torture they walked quietly side by side. Jacob had been his usual gutless self and wouldn't phase with Seth fearing what he would have to witness in the slave's head. If it had been horrible to hear his tale of torture and abuse it would be far worse to witness it firsthand. But more importantly he didn't want his submissive to see his desperate thoughts. The self-deprecating monologue that even though it was much deserved, he felt no desire to share it with anyone, especially with a person he cared about. Many adjectives regarding his behavior floated around in his head, twisted, malevolent, sadistic and cowardly were the most frequent, but he knew there were many more.

Seth had endured a life of pain and suffering. Was life really fair when a gentle soul like him was hated and tortured from the moment he came out of the womb? All his life Jake had been given every privilege available to man and he still grumbled about his luck. Jacob's little wolf on the other hand would appreciate even a little crumb of food that fell on the floor. What made them different? An odd segment on their DNA that determined that one would be an alpha and the other a slave? It didn't seem fair at all.

The last two days Jacob had been plagued with nightmares that were very different from his usual ones. In these he felt the horror of being deprived of freedom, he dreamt of a strange cold sensation around his neck that threatened to choke him to death. He didn't know what any of this meant and to be totally honest he didn't want to know. In all his years he had never felt so sick of his own reflection. His behavior filled him with shame and regret. There was nothing he could do to appease the slow burning pain in his chest. The idea that only a few months prior he could've looked into Seth's eyes and taken his life, repulsed him and was almost enough to make him lose his breakfast. The worst thing was that he knew he wouldn't have cared one bit about Seth's life or about his pain. He wouldn't have even batted an eyelash and his only concern would've been how fast they could get him a new victim.

Watching the still form of his slave he racked his mind trying to figure out what was going on through his head. Was he sad? Angry? Resentful? All of the above? Like many times before he wondered what had made his submissive so strong, what kept him alive all these years. At least of one thing he was certain, he would sooner die than see his perfect little submissive harmed ever again. He wished, fuck did he ever wish that somehow the stars would align and he could go back in time and save Seth from being tormented not only by the sons of bitches that took part of his initiation but from himself as well. Jacob was in no shape or form a hero but he wished he could have been Seth's hero. That instead of being the leader of the pack of hyenas that took turns gnawing at his tender flesh that he would have been the light at the end of the tunnel for the submissive. He dreamt of a different life, a better life in which he was not the thing nightmares were made of but the thing wonderful dreams consisted of.

"Puppy, you need to eat something." Jacob approached Seth slowly but not as stealthy as usual to make sure he wouldn't get startled. He had picked a good amount of strawberries and brought them back to his submissive. "I remember you said the first time you ate raw that you were going to pick berries, so I assumed you like these." He said pointing to the strawberries he had collected on what seemed to be the remnants of a flag.

"Thank you master, I do like them." Seth's voice was colorless and his expression hollow. He shrugged lightly when his master placed the fruit on his lap. "Master, have you eaten?" Asked Seth politely.

"I'm not hungry Seth." Answered Jacob with unnecessary roughness. He was not one to even try to be pleasant, he spent many years creating a rugged distant persona and old habits die slowly. Noticing how Seth's eyes fell to his lap and his hands moved the food uninterestedly from one side to the other, Jacob bent one knee to the ground, picked up one strawberry and lifted it to Seth's face. He growled when he caught sight of the submissive's downcast eyes. The slave understood the message and he lifted his eyes to shyly meet his master's. "Eat" It was a one word undeniable command.

Jacob felt a shiver run down the length of his body, making an annoying pit stop on his groin, when Seth took the red fruit between his equally juicy lips and bit it. His submissive observed him through his eyelashes as he savored the sweetness of the spring fruit. The slave innocently ate; unaware of the effect he was having on his master. Jacob huffed in annoyance as he stood up running away from Seth soon after.

The slave stayed on the same spot, his shoulders slumping and feeling defeated. Since they arrived at the small meadow a day and a half before his master had been acting very strange. A few times a day he would disappear only to come back several minutes later looking flushed and sweaty. Seth was convinced that Jacob was disgusted with him, since his odd behavior started after they visited the council center. The submissive understood, after all, he felt disgusted with himself many times. He tried to avoid thinking of all the men that had been inside him but many times it was close to impossible. He placed the fruit beside him on the floor and followed his master into the dense forest. He was not far away, Jacob never went farther than a rock toss from Seth, he always worried of somebody finding him and hurting his slave.

Following his master's strong scent Seth saw his body slumped behind a tree while his right arm moved back and fro. The unmistakable aroma of Jacob's arousal permeated in the air around them. His low throaty moans echoing on the rocks around them. Such was his elation that Jacob didn't hear his submissive approach him as he maneuvered his tense flesh inside his fist. He was used to having sex two to three times a day and his body was craving Seth's amazing heat. The master wouldn't even consider taking his submissive, he knew it would be non-consensual and the last thing he wanted was to add another notch to the long list of sins committed against the slave.

"What the fuck!" Screamed Jacob as he became aware of the submissive's presence. Seth stumbled back falling on his ass on the damp forest floor. Immediately he went to his knees, wrapping his arms around his middle and shaking to the core. The slave knew it was too good to be true; it was a matter of time before his master returned to his old behaviors.

Jacob stalked towards the submissive, feeling pain grip his insides at the sight before him. Grabbing Seth's arm he pulled the slave to his feet and bending forward got his face as close as possible to that of his sub. "Never do that again, first, you scared the shit out of me and second, I think I have the right to some privacy, don't you think?" Seth nodded in agreement as he eyed his master's straining erection as it dangled menacingly from side to side with each one of Jacob's movements.

"Master you want me to pleasure you?" Asked Seth more out of a twisted sense of duty than any real desire on his part. Jacob's brows rose on his forehead as he studied the submissive's face trying to find any mocking attitude. He couldn't find any, taking a big lungful of air to calm himself down, he thought about his course of action. He was fighting with all his might the desperate need to bend his slave and plunge deep into him, fucking him until he couldn't walk. Instead he chose the path less travelled and decided not to take him.

"Seth I want you to tell me the truth, do _you _want to pleasure me? I'm warning you, no lies and no bullshit." The submissive thought for a few seconds before he shook his head no. "I doubted you would, but one can always hope. Why the fuck did you offer if you had no desire to do it?"

"Master it's my duty, it's what I was put on this earth for." Stated Seth, pain etched on his features as he acknowledged the little self-worth he had. Not that he had any reason to feel any different; after all he had been called whore, slut and cunt too many times.

"Are you stupid, slave? Nobody is put on this earth to be a fuck toy. There is a lot more to you than meets the eye, I'm not the smartest mother fucker out there but even I have to accept there is something really remarkable about you." Seth felt his chest swell with hope, pride and joy. The only person to ever think he was good for anything but sex was his sister and to hear his master speak in such a way made him feel all tingly inside.

"Now if you don't mind can you go so I can finish jerking off?" There was humor is Jacob's voice as he said this, Seth turned on his heels walking away from his master with a small smile on his face.

After several minutes Jacob emerged from between the dense foliage and sat beside Seth who was finishing his fruit. The master extended his hand and quickly took the strawberry that Seth was about to pop into his mouth and popped it in his mouth chewing rapidly. The slave took another ripe berry and offered it to his master. "Seth this fruit is doing nothing for me, I need meat. I don't want to leave you by yourself, anybody could stumble onto you and if they hurt you I'll be forced to rip their miserable heads off their shoulders. I'm going to remove your collar so you can phase too, understood?" Seth nodded and in no time both wolves had downed a forest dweller and were feasting on it. After they had their fill they settled for the night, hoping and praying for a dreamless night.

The next morning Jacob opened his eyes and looked around for his sub who was nowhere to be seen. He panicked, if the little piece of shit had escaped during the night he would find him and the sub would wish he was back at the house of torture. Jacob threaded his fingers on his short locks and pulled roughly at the roots trying to erase the thoughts produced by his sick mind. He wondered if he would ever rid himself of those sadistic tendencies. It was almost like they had been chiseled into his body and soul. He turned his head towards the noise coming from a nearby stream. He sighed relieved when he saw his small submissive methodically shaving his head, making sure not to miss any spots.

Jacob sat beside him in the cold water and took the razor away from the slave. "Let me help you with that." Slowly and making sure not to press too hard he slid the straight razor on parallel lines along Seth's scalp. Not used to anybody doing anything for him, the submissive reveled in the feel of the blade as it slid over his skin and in the warmth radiating from his master's body. He closed his eyes and created colorful pictures in his mind, pictures of joy, hope and happiness. "There you go, smooth as a baby's bottom."

Seth ran the palm of his hand over his scalp before dipping his hands in the water and dousing his head. "Why did you leave my side?" Jacob's question took the submissive by surprise.

"Because you like your slaves to be clean, hairless and ready for you when you get up." Seth repeated the line that was almost branded into his brain from the moment he set foot inside his master's room. "Master may I ask you something?" Seeing that Jacob seemed so calm and even in a good mood Seth risked asking him the question that had been in his mind since he came to the manor.

Jacob nodded and Seth took a deep breath before asking. Years of submission had taught him that it was a terrible idea to question your dominant, yet he felt confident to do so under the circumstances. "Why do you like your slaves to shave their heads, I understand about our bodies but the head always baffles me." Seth was almost mumbling imperceptibly, his eyes glued on the rushing waters that were disrupted by the two bodies sitting in its way.

"Well there are several reasons; the most important ones are first the need to dominate your whole existence. I dictate what you do, what you eat, when you sleep and even how you look. The second one is that seeing you without any hair ratifies the fact that you are subhuman. Makes it easier for me to think of you as an animal. If I picture you that way I don't feel like the worthless piece of crap I am. Know that I don't think you're subhuman, you are more of a man that I'll ever be, but you asked me for the reasons and those are it." Seth's browns pinched together as he observed his master's tortured look. It was mindboggling to think that a creature as impressive as his master would think so lowly of himself but there was no denying the truth, as badly as Seth thought about himself it was nothing compared to Jacob's perception of himself. The submissive accepted everything at face value and after rinsing off his head took the soap and proceeded to scrub his body clean.

"I thought you were almost done" Stated Jacob.

"I shaved first; if it's ok with you I would like to wash up now." Seth's eyes were glued to the soap he was holding between his hands. For some reason the intensity of his master's gaze made him feel self-conscious. It was stupid since his master had seen him naked numerous times but at that moment, in that creek, it felt like Jacob's eyes were burning him alive.

"Nah, let me have that" Taking the soap away from the submissive he worked a generous lather and began scrubbing his slave. Seth had done the same thing for him several times before but Jacob had never cared to even try. Taking care of someone beside himself was something that simply didn't register with him.

Jacob noticed as Seth took a sideways glance in his direction, his face tinted red and his heart racing wildly inside his chest. The master always loved to hear the change in Seth's breathing when certain areas of his body were addressed, aside from the obvious, his neck was the most sensitive part, always rewarding Jacob with a muted moan. Jacob felt his own body react at the sight of his slave's red cheeks and nervous demeanor. The master could see the submissive's uneasiness and decided to be a little playful.

Jacob teased the coppery peaks of Seth's nipples with bubble-covered hands. He nuzzled the slave's neck surprising him by blowing a loud, wet raspberry against his skin. Seth giggled loudly his legs inadvertently splashing water on his master's direction. The submissive froze for a few seconds waiting for the blow that luckily never came. Instead of retaliating Jacob's laughter filled the air around them. Seth smiled at his master's reaction, his lips revealing a pink tongue that danced along the edge of his teeth. The little submissive had no idea the effect that something as simple as his smile had on his master. Jacob's reaction was swift as he kissed the water droplets on Seth's face before they evaporated. The master continued lathering the sub's body stopping every once in a while to kiss him or grant him gentle bites on the most easily accessible parts of his body.

Seth's petite frame shivered under his master's hands as they traveled all over his body. Everywhere Jacob touched him produced a wave of sensual flashes that began on the point of contact and extended all over his body. The slave did everything in his power to avoid the unavoidable as his body reacted to his master's scrutiny. A flush worked its way up from the submissive's belly to his face and back again, zooming down his legs to end up on his toes. Noticing his slave's dilemma Jacob couldn't help feel a sense of pride at being able to cause that. The submissive tried to cover his swollen manhood with his hands, but his master batted them away "No need to hide, I like what I see." Whispered Jacob in Seth's ear making sure his warm breath was hitting Seth in the right spot.

Covering his hands in soap he proceeded to clean Seth most sensitive parts. He asked the sub to kneel and worked one hand on his behind while the other stroked the length of the slave's member. Seth felt his legs buckle as the pleasure grew exponentially. He allowed a loud moan to escape his lips as his release became imminent. Pushing his luck he bent forward and claimed his master's lips in a heated kiss. The master happily responded savoring the flavor of his sub's warm mouth. It proved to be too much for the slave and he bathed his master's hand with his seed.

Jacob pulled Seth to his lap and allowed him to come down from his high. Using his hand he rinsed the slave who was slumped against his master's chest while trying to regain normal breathing. Seth's eyes were moist as something unexpected passed between them. Jacob didn't understand of failed to acknowledge but regardless of this he felt the intense and urgent need to hold his slave closer and feel the warmth emanating from his body. The master thought how it was possible for Seth to still hold on to his humanity after the nightmare that had been his life. During his childhood all he received was rejection and lack of love. As he grew up his problems grew also, being the crowning glory phasing into a submissive and all the hurt that came with it. Jacob wanted to make up for all the years of abandonment and misery, he truly did but he doubted he could do it. After all Seth was an angel and Jacob was nothing but a mere man not worthy of such honor.

Seth lifted his eyes and looked at his master dreamily, his arms surrounded his master's neck and he kissed him deeply. Each man lost in what the other was making him feel. "Thank you" Whispered the sub on Jake's ear, the combined effect of his sultry post orgasmic voice and his warm breath against his skin going directly to his groin. Setting Seth in front of him Jacob jumped to his feet stumbling on them as he tried to escape once more towards the woods. In his haste he slipped on the mud making a face plant. He was not only in pain from falling on his semi-hard dick but mortified that it happened in front of his submissive. He wished the earth would just open and swallow him whole. Why he cared that Seth had seen him? He had no idea, maybe it was pride, maybe it was something else but the truth of the matter was that he felt his face burn with embarrassment.

Watching the mighty Jacob Black flopping on the mud like a piggy made Seth let out a bark of laughter. He didn't remember when was the last time he laughed with so much gusto. His laughter was silenced when he noticed the irate look in Jacob's eyes. He had certainly done it now, he laughed at his master and he would surely pay for it. After a few failed attempts Jacob was able to raise to his feet, the whole front of his body covered in mud.

"Get the fuck here right now!" Bellowed Jacob.

Seth ran to his master fear dominating his thoughts and nerves racking through his body. As soon as the sub was within arm reach the master pulled him to the mud with him. Both men fell to the sludge, Jacob laughing his head off at his submissive's expense. "Do you still think this is funny?"

The slave recognized his master was being playful and nodded. In all honesty he thought the whole thing was freaking hilarious. Jake tried to put on an angry front and looked at his submissive frowning, his lips on a tense thin line. But Seth could see through his façade, he might have been acting angry but the humor and happiness in his eyes was only surpassed by the slave's delight. The master couldn't keep a straight face and grinned widely at his slave, as on cue Seth agilely scrambled to his feet in an attempt to take off running away from his master. Jacob tried to grab him as he darted off only to lose his balance and do a belly flop into the mud. Seth stood at a close distance watching as his master tried to maneuver his huge form out of the mess he was in. He moved closer to try to help him, thinking that at least that could lessen his punishment if Jacob decided to go along with it.

"I suggest you run." Growled Jacob. The slave bolted in his human muddy form unable to phase due to his collar. He felt the familiar tingling in the air and looking over his shoulder saw his master running towards him at full speed. Only that he was not running on two legs anymore as he approached him as a russet fury. Seth was terrified, blaming himself for his latest predicament, he had been utterly disrespectful to his owner and he would pay for it. He fucked up badly; his master gave him so many chances but he had to go for it and lost, maybe his master would go as far as killing him this time.

In matter of seconds Jake had gained on him and closed his powerful jaws around one of Seth's legs without hurting him but making him fall down. Jacob pounced, paws on each side of Seth who rolled on his back scared out of his wits. In his frightened state the submissive read his master stance as one of him getting ready to snap his jaws and rip his head of his shoulders. The master watched his submissive's squirming form and surprised him by rolling out his tongue and giving him a big slobbery kiss. Seth was instantly put at ease and comforting waves ripped through his body. Jake repeated the same action only to be rewarded with Seth's bubbly giggling that was so cute he sounded like a girl. Feeling happy the slave reached up towards his master's big furry head and scratched him behind his ears which elicited a cat like purr to come out of him. Jake in return gave him more sweet tender licks and nuzzles.

"Master I think I'll need another bath, actually we _both_ do." Said Seth between giggles. Jacob phased and found himself on all fours hovering over his slave. The master stood up extending a muddy hand to his submissive who took it happily and pulled himself up. They walked hand in hand back to the creek laughing every time they caught sight of each other. Finding an area that was a little deeper Jacob walked in followed by Seth. The water felt cool on their overheated bodies, it reached Seth chest and Jacob waist as they both sat. Each one proceeded to get rid of the sticky film that covered their bodies. Looking in Seth's direction Jacob noticed that Seth had missed a spot on his shoulder and moved towards him to get it for him. The submissive noticed all the spots his master had missed and began cleaning him. Jacob was ecstatic feeling as bliss was spilling out of his pores for the simple reason that his sub was cleaning him out of his own volition. The master was grinning like an idiot as his eyes followed each and every one of his slave's movements.

Feeling the definition of Jacob's muscles and the beauty of his features Seth couldn't help but think how handsome his master was. His brown eyes felt like they could see all the way to his soul. His strong jaw that until recently always looked tense. The mere thought of his rippled stomach raising the sub's temperature by a few degrees. Jacob was a truly magnificent creature. Seth felt the strongest urge to tell his master but fought it. He was afraid of unintentionally ruining the moment they were sharing.

Against his better judgment he decided to tell his master, after all nobody would get angry because they were given a compliment. "Master you're…"

"I'm what Seth?" Asked Jacob in his dreamy bedroom voice as he used his hand to rinse Seth even though he was already clean, he was just enjoying it too much.

"You're beautiful" Seth's confession took Jacob absolutely by surprise. His nervous laughter betrayed the strong self-confident pretense he tried to maintain. He felt awkward not knowing how to respond at all. The master's mind became a vortex of thoughts and ideas as he tried to discern Seth's intentions. Was he being smarmy? Was he just trying to be nice to get on Jacob's good side? That was utterly ridiculous since he had been downright disrespectful and adorably irreverent towards his master.

"Nobody had ever said that to me." Jacob lowered his gaze to his hands which were submerged under the water as they rested on Seth's waist. Seth wished that his master would accept his words as true, maybe that way he would feel better about himself.

"How can that be? I've never seen a more beautiful wolf." Jacob's shook his head and his cheeks developed a deeper color as he looked almost embarrassed of receiving a compliment. He knew very well that the man in front of him was as genuine as they came. If there was somebody he could count on for total truthfulness that was his submissive.

"I don't think I come off as very approachable." Jacob shrugged, his eyes focused on an undetermined point. After hearing this statement Seth just smiled. His master was right but he would be damned if he said anything.

"You could change that you know. After all you can catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Jacob had heard the old adage many times, usually from his father and from Carlisle. Of course he always ignored it, he didn't care about anyone. He could've tried to plaster a fake smile on his face instead of his usual frown, but what was the point? People would always find a reason to hate him; might as well give them plenty of reasons and save them the effort. Maybe that was why he never found happiness, he had every possible thing the world could offer a wolf to make him happy but he chose to be miserable.

"Well that doesn't matter, I have the only fly I'll ever need or want." Seth was clueless; in his mind there was no space to even consider the idea that his master wanted him. He was just an accessory that as soon as he went out of style would be terminated.

Seth shivered when a sudden rush of cold water punished his skin. It was probably raining in the mountains causing the water level to rise in their location. Jake pulled the slave towards him to wrap him up in his arms, settling him between his legs. Seeking more warmth Seth turned to face his master, wrapping his legs around him, their chests touching. Considering the submissive's proximity the master was surprised when he noticed that for once he was not hard. He thought he would be since his body always reacted to his slave. Jacob was just enjoying the closeness; it was something he never thought he would enjoy. Sharing a space with somebody he considered beneath him and at the same time knew that he couldn't live without. Their innocent embrace appealed to both wolves, for different reasons. To Jacob it felt more intimate than sex and very satisfying. To Seth it presented the rare opportunity to enjoy intimacy without sex, deep inside he still worried but it was pushed aside by his utter contentment.

The slave rested his head on Jacob's shoulder as his hands mindlessly played with his inky locks. A sudden rush of courage propelled the sub to spoil his master with chaste kisses that felt as clean and pure as the slave's intentions. Seth's feather light kisses couldn't be misinterpreted by anyone; he meant to show his master his appreciation for what he considered the only chance in many years to feel cared for by his master. Jacob rewarded him by caressing his skin softly and without any other intention than to show his submissive he cared about him, how much? neither one of them knew. Neither one of them spoke as they held on to each other. In that most perfect moment they were not slave and master, they were two lonely persons that by luck or fate found each other. Even if it was just for a few minutes, after all the tragedy they had seen and experienced in that cruel world, they experienced true joy. In that most perfect and tranquil moment that they wished would never end, they felt love.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello again, I hope you enjoy this new installment of Master of my Soul. I mentioned to some of you that this would be the last "fluffy" chapter before the boys return home. I couldn't fit everything in one chapter so there will be one more. Stay tuned because I think you'll like what will happen in the next chapter. **

**As always I want to thank all those who are following the story and especially those who review. **

**Again a big thank you goes to Ratts for the ideas she gave me for this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 18**

"Are we going back to your home tomorrow master?" Seth prayed that his master's answer would be no. He was enjoying too much the freedom he was experiencing for the first time in years. Most of all he was surprised of how much he was loving the company of his master. The five days they stayed on the meadow by the creek had been the best of his entire life.

Jacob had not forced Seth to have sex even once and their intimacy was growing at an exponential rate. They spent hours talking, getting to know each other, from the silliest things to their deepest darkest secrets. There was only one aspect of his life Jacob was not willing to talk about and it was the events that surrounded his mother's death. Seth hoped that one day he would open up and unload that burden that had been eating him alive for so many years.

At times the master would sit resting his back on a tree trunk and Seth would rest his head on the alpha's stomach. Jacob reveled in the proximity to his submissive and the ease of their conversations. Little by little Seth had opened up to his master, going as far as joking with him. Jake absolutely adored the submissive's laugh; it was like a little piece of music that was played just for him.

The master would let down all his defenses and show Seth who he really was. He still struggled with his self-control, he knew it wouldn't be easy but it would be totally worth it. Jacob's greatest achievement in life would be to help Seth to not be afraid of him. The alpha felt vulnerable but he knew his submissive would never betray him. If there was one person he could trust was the little guy that slept curled next to him every night.

In their personal paradise sometimes they didn't even need to speak. They would just lie down on the cushiony moss and look at the shapes of the clouds while listening to the light breeze that blew through the trees. Sometimes they had to remind each other of their presence with a light touch filled with love and warmth. They felt hopeful and renewed, like a weight was slowly being lifted off their shoulders as they grew closer.

"Nope" Answered Jake making a popping sound with the p. He had something planned for his little submissive, it was a good thing that Seth talked in his sleep and a better one that Jake listened, curious as to what was in his slave's mind. The submissive was puzzled as to what were his master's plans; he eyed Jake's peaceful expression, his head resting on Seth's lap as they enjoyed the soft late afternoon sun.

"Where are we going next?" For days it seemed that earth had stopped revolving around the sun and life came to a standstill. They stood back and enjoyed what nature had to offer when there was no interference of man. Seth would've been perfectly content staying in their little paradise and never having to face another dominant but he knew earth would start moving soon enough and life would go on.

"You'll see when we get there; it's a surprise." Jacob felt like the kid that got up first in Christmas and knew what everyone was getting. He couldn't wait to see Seth's face.

The next morning they left their meadow, longing and sadness in their hearts. That was a place that will forever be etched in their minds as the place where good memories began to build. They took with them the beauty and peace that encased them. They were surrounded by comfort and light, peace and joy. Maybe that was not the meadow; it was simply their spirit being freed from its chains.

Jacob's russet wolf led the way as they ran through a lush forest. They smelled the rich dampness of the forest floor in its continuous cycle of death and new growth. The sun was dispersed through the canopy of trees, its light filtering onto the forest floor feeding it. They had trained themselves to ignore any evidence of traces of human bodies that found its last resting place on that piece of land. After all when the pandemic hit many rushed to the most isolated areas they could find trying to fool death but death found them anyway.

In that beautiful surrounding they could find peace and relaxation, any creature of the forest was better company than any man had ever been. Gradually the woodsy scents and colors were replaced by some that were foreign to Seth. He remembered a different scent reaching him during one of his transports but never knew what that scent corresponded to. The grass, flowers and moss changed to small pebbles that crunched under their paws. The late afternoon sun shone brighter with each passing minute the dense foliage thinning until it disappeared, replaced by low shrubs and overgrown weeds..

They reached an area that consisted of big two story houses, many basically crumbling to the ground more affected by the elements than others they had seen. It was a long street littered with homes, cars that were nothing but a heap of rust and many side streets. They had been walking on sand for quite some time, the sky was clear not a cloud to be seen. The breeze felt warm against their sun punished fur. The air was impregnated with a scent of old legends and fierce battles.

The evidence was conclusive; they were close to a beach. Seth's excitement was so grand he could hardly contain himself to not go running pass his master to reach the beach. He had never seen the ocean and was convinced he never would. This was unreal and unexpected, he would be eternally grateful to his master for giving him these experiences.

_Master… _Such was his excitement that the submissive found himself at a loss for words. There were so many things he wanted to say, many things that he wanted to do but decided against all of it and quieted his mind.

_Seth go ahead, this is your surprise. _Not wanting anyone to witness this milestone in his life he phased and took off running towards one of the walkways that led directly to the beach. The chips of rock that would eventually turn to sand gave him much needed traction. As he ascended he felt the warm afternoon sun on his back and the warm breeze on his naked body. After climbing the slightly steep hill he found himself on top of a twenty steps staircase that would take him directly to the shore. He took in the grandiose view before him, the comforting and humbling beauty of the simple combination or earth water and sky. The sea was brutal as it was serene; it was magical as it was real.

Seth turned around on his spot searching for his master's form in the brightly lit area. A big smile crept on his face when he saw him only a few steps behind him. Seth waited for his master, even in that moment he wanted to make sure his master not only approved but was pleased with his proceeding. "What the hell are you doing waiting for me? This is your moment puppy, enjoy it."

With Jacob's approval Seth took off running down the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. He became aware of the much softer sand under his feet and curled his toes in it. Seth was fascinated with the iridescent quality of the grains of sand as the sun shone on it. At a distance he could hear the cry of seagulls mixing with the sound of the waves beatings against the shore. He ran towards the water stopping at the water's edge to admire the rhythmic methodical motion of the waves.

Seth was jumping in place so excited he didn't know what to do first, he wanted to take everything in not wanting to miss one bit of it. He knew that it was most probable that he would never get the chance again. But who was he kidding? He wanted to try the water, the slave ran in, his over exaggerated movements evidence of the surprising resistance the water presented. The water was shallow and he alternated his legs as he hopped against the waves that weakly crashed onto him. Once he was waist deep in the clear water he fell backwards allowing his whole body to come in contact with the salty water.

Jacob didn't know if Seth was a strong swimmer and kept an eye on him as he came up for air only to sink back in. His shrieks of joy could be heard up and down that segment of the beach. Not wanting to interfere or take away from Seth's moment Jacob sat down on a mound of pure white sand and gazed out at the sea and back to his submissive. The submissive extended his arms like he was trying to touch the sky as he splashed to his delight.

The master figured out a little too late what a bad idea it was to sit naked on the sand. He became miserable as the sand crept up in very private places. Whoever came up with the idea of having sex on the beach had obviously never done it, he couldn't even fathom the idea of trying it. He desperately needed the relief that only the soothing ocean water could provide. But this was Seth's moment; he didn't want to contaminate the water with his presence. He sat and waited, taking in the experience of doing something for somebody else.

Every once in a while Seth would gaze back towards the beach only to find his master staring at him intently. He couldn't bring himself to care or to be self-conscious, he continued enjoying his moment. The submissive had never been impulsive but he felt his legs moving, taking him out of the water and in the direction of his master. Jacob observed him as he emerged from the water, his body covered with hundreds of droplets that slid down his form to rejoin the sea. Seth took his breath away, under the sunlight the drops of water made his body sparkle like the stars in the sky. He was so mesmerized admiring every detail of the sub's body that didn't even realize he was walking towards him

"Master aren't you going to try the water? It feels really good!" Seth's excitement was almost palpable and his usually sad eyes twinkled with a vivacity Jacob had never seen before. Jake had to shake himself out of his stupor to grab the hand Seth was offering him and pull himself up.

The master was sure he would've made a sandy face plant if it wasn't for his heightened reflexes when the enthusiastic slave pulled him towards the water. For such a little guy the submissive was surprisingly strong. Seth's happiness was so contagious that the alpha found himself grinning like an idiot. They ran in the water hand in hand making a huge splash as their bodies collided with the waves. They stood on knee deep water jumping at the approaching waves.

In the water they turned into kids again, engaging in silly games and swimming around each other. They frolicked in the deep surf while the sun slowly changed its position in the sky. Jacob surrounded Seth with his arms and spun him, kissing him softly once they were face to face. Seth wrapped his legs around his master's waist and flung his arms around his neck. Jacob locked his arms over the submissive's ass, not wanting to ever let go. Jacob's heart stuttered in his chest as Seth lips skated over his ear.

"Master, words cannot express how grateful I am. You've made one of my dreams came true; thank you." Seth marveled at the way his master's chest pushed against his own as his ragged breaths' came in and out with difficulty. The submissive sought his master's lips which he happily offered. The moist fire of Jacob's mouth had awoken all sorts of sensations on the slave's body. He had never felt so free, so happy and so cherished.

Seth's mouth explored his master's neck sucking lightly on the tan salty flesh. Jacob pulled back, action that Seth took as a rejection and with a dejected expression untangled his legs from his master's waist. "Where are you going?" Asked Jacob.

"I'm just going to swim around a little; I don't want to bother you." Seth was unsuccessful at trying to pretend like there was nothing going on. He shouldn't care if his master rejected him, the longer he stayed away from him the better but the thing was, he really cared.

"Why so sudden? It's fine with me but I really like holding you on my arms." Seth's expression brightened lightly but his confusion grew, still he wouldn't say anything. Pulling the submissive towards him so their chests touched Jake snaked his arms behind him and claimed his lips once more.

"Master I have no way to pay you for all your attentions, the only thing I can offer is my body and you already own me. Please know that I will do anything you want me to do." The slave wouldn't meet his master's eyes, he didn't know if years of slavery had damaged him to the point he lacked dignity and common decency or if it turned him into a machine designed to only care about pleasing his owner. He could sense his master's need and desire and felt the obligation of tending to his needs, or was it the other way around? Once more the submissive wrapped his legs around his master, but positioned himself lower so their sexes were touching. Between the movement of the waves and Seth's efforts in no time they were grinding their partially erect members.

"Fuck Seth stop! Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to resist you? I don't want you to give yourself to me for a sense of duty or because you feel you owe me something. You don't owe me anything. The next time I make you mine I want it to be because you want to. I will never force you again. I want… I want to make love to you Seth Black." Under the punishing sun the blush under Jacob's skin was more noticeable. The slave observed him in disbelieve. Until not so long ago the man in front of him had been abusive and cruel with him and every other submissive he ever owned. Was Jacob Black losing his mind? Or regaining it?

"Make…love?" His master had to be joking, that had to be it. The closest the submissive had been to making love was when Jacob forced Embry to take him. Even though the experience had been more than pleasurable it was hardly voluntary since it was done under coercion.

"Yes Seth" Jacob examined the slave's face for any signs of fear or apprehension, but found neither. Instead Seth was beaming, his smile broader than he had ever seen it. There was hope for them; they just needed to learn to trust each other. An awkward silence took over making them nervous and self-conscious. Taking his master by surprise Seth untangled his hands from behind his master's neck and propelled himself backwards onto the water. He playfully swam away, once he was a few feet away he turned to face Jacob who felt deeply satisfied watching his submissive act as young as he looked.

"Master what am I?" Asked Seth bopping like a buoy, his arms gently treading water.

"What are you pup?" Jacob was amused with Seth's playfulness, it was an aspect of his sub he had never seen and hoped to see a lot more in the future.

"A monster lurking in the dark waters" Seth dove in, disappearing under the surface of the waters. He swam between Jacob's legs and jumped out behind him latching on to his back. Both men were the happiest they had been in a long time. Neither one of them wanted this moment to end. Jacob held Seth's legs and the slave held on to his shoulders while nibbling on the sensitive skin behind Jake's ears and neck. They floated together enjoying the cradling sensation of the waves.

Jacob had never been a big fan of the water and leaving Seth to swim around some more; he walked out of the water plopping down on the warm sand. He laid on his back letting the sun dry the salt water off him. He felt content and proud with himself for having been able to resist the submissive's charms. The alpha dozed off lulled by the sound of the waves and his slave's splashing.

"Master, master" Seth was whispering but there was a sense of urgency in his voice as he roused his master from his nap. Jacob's eyes flew open and it took him a few seconds to focus on the face of his submissive who was hovering over him. "I hear some wolves coming."

Jacob sprung up and turned in the direction to which Seth pointed. He couldn't hear anything but the sounds of the wind, the waves and the seagulls. "I don't hear anything Seth"

"Master please believe me, I can hear them, at least three wolves are coming in this direction." Seth looked scared; he had a really bad feeling about the unexpected company.

"I'll try to contact them, don't leave my side." Jacob phased and stood on the beach looking in the same direction as before. He still couldn't hear a thing, after several minutes he phased back to his human self, but taking in Seth's scared expression decided to err in the side of caution. "I can't contact them; they're either from the west or rogues. Either one of those groups means really bad news for us, I'll not risk it. If they are from the west they will either kill us or take me prisoner and make you their slave. If they are rogues, I don't even want to think of what they'll do to us. Listen Seth I'm going to phase and you'll ride on my back, you'll grab our things and we'll high tail it out of here. You can't phase, your scent is stronger in wolf form and they'll detect you easily. For us to have any chance at escaping they have to lose our trail. "

Seth did as instructed and in a matter of minutes they were on their way. Jacob's ears perked up and caught the sounds of three sets of paws as they were hitting the pebble covered floor. Their howling confirmed their presence and increased the fear in the submissive and the determination in the master. He needed to create distance between them and what he was almost certain were rogues. No westerner would risk coming so far east, it would be suicide. He didn't know which group would be more dangerous, the west at least would respect their alpha, the rogues responded to no one and had no limits or respect for life. They were feral creatures whose only purpose in life was to survive.

One set of paws moved way faster than the other two and was gaining on them fast. Jacob wouldn't dare to look back but he could hear the wolf's growling and snapping of jaws as it got dangerously close to them. He could swear he felt on his tail the hot breath of the wretched creature. "Master they're gaining on us, please let me get off, I'll distract them while you escape." Jacob barked angrily at the mere suggestion that Seth sacrifice himself for the alpha. He wouldn't even consider the idea of leaving his submissive to be tortured and slaughtered. His heart felt tight inside his chest at the mere thought of all the vile things those wolves would do to _his_ little wolf.

Fear and pain struck Jacob so deep that he felt it stung his soul, something he thought he had lost a long time ago. His heart was thumping so loud he could feel his pulse in his ears. Even Seth as he rode with his whole body against Jacob's powerful back could feel it pulsating under him. "Please master stop, I beg you. I don't matter, my time was up a long time ago and it won't make a difference if I'm gone. But people need and depend on you. Please master, think of your father, he wouldn't be able to get over the pain of losing you. I'm strong, I can hold them off until you're a safe distance from here."

The master's mouth went dry and he felt an emptiness so huge he thought it could swallow him whole. The thought of not waking each morning and seeing Seth's sweet and youthful face made him queasy. How could his submissive say him leaving this earth wouldn't make a difference? If Seth was gone it would make a huge difference. Jacob couldn't bear the thought of never seeing his little wolf again. That simple man had been the only person to ever make him feel human and not the animal he knew he had become. Singlehandedly he was helping him find what he had lost so many years before.

Jacob got a surge of adrenaline and redoubled his efforts; he was not losing his subs to those bastards. The master wanted to think that if Seth ever decided to leave his side, he would be able to accept it; he wouldn't be so selfish as to keep him by his side against his will. Whether or not he would be strong enough to ever let him go… only time would tell. Of one thing he was certain, regardless of his future being by Jacob's side or not, to give the submissive a chance at any future he needed to get him to safety. He would sooner fight to the death than have something as little as a scratch added to the multiple scars on the slave's body.

He pressed forward, his legs burning, his lungs aching, his whole body screaming at the exertion, but he wouldn't dare slow down. He could still hear the howls and the barks of the wolves in pursuit. They were very determined; he doubted they were interested in him. Most likely they wanted the only thing in his mind, his sweet submissive. They had another thing coming, whoever was chasing them would only get his little submissive after the alpha had joined his mother in the hereafter. Everything in their path became a blur as he snaked around tree trunks, jumped over fallen logs and tried to cross every creek and river on their path in an effort to shake them off. Gradually the howls and footfalls got farther and farther until they entirely vanished.

Seth lost track of time, he barely noticed as everything around them gradually turned darker. Jacob was hoping there would be an active outpost in that area and he could get some assistance but it was highly unlikely. In his frantic race to protect Seth, he even ventured into a small city, something they had been advised not to do in countless occasions. His strategy was based in the assumption that if the rogues still had a functioning brain they wouldn't risk going into a dangerous area. Only a desperate man would try something so daring. Thankfully the city was somewhat intact and they were careful enough to stay away from any big structures. They ventured into a dark expanse of woods that were pitch black in the moonless night. They heard the soothing sounds of the multitude of insects that populated that segment of land, their combined noise creating a humming sound.

"Master you can rest, it's been hours since I heard them last." Jake refused; there was no way in hell he was stopping. He was too scared, yes damn it he was scared! He was scared of losing Seth, he was scared of being left alone once more, he was scared of all the feelings that were bubbling inside him. He couldn't allow himself to feel again, to care for someone other than himself only for that person to be taken away from him.

If he couldn't hold Seth in his arms every day for the rest of his God forsaken life he would be nothing. He would be reduced to a feral dog, no longer a man, a creature without purpose. The man next to him despite being considered insignificant by most people was able to achieve the ultimate feat, to awaken his soul. Despite being utterly terrified Jacob had never felt more alive. Being happy was not weakness, being happy meant he was regaining his humanity. Jacob had buried so deep within himself every loving, honest and good feeling he ever experienced that he became lost. Seth found him…

Unable to continue Jacob gradually slowed down not wanting to do it haltingly and knock Seth down to the floor. His legs were wobbly, his throat rough like he had swallowed sand and his head dizzy from the dehydration. He was sore and tired but especially thirsty. He heard the sound of a stream and made his way to it. He shifted back near the stream and Seth cupped water in his palms for his master to drink. The master was shaking like a leaf while holding the slave around his middle. He wouldn't let go, he couldn't. The idea of those wolves hurting the submissive was terrifying but it was nothing when compared to the fear his newfound feelings were producing in him. He could hardly breathe; his heart felt like it was about to burst- he couldn't live without his submissive.

What lay ahead of them would be the biggest challenge of their entire existence. A man that the world considered trash, a disgusting tool for dominants to use and dispose of at their pleasure became his life. He would die for a _dog_; he would die for what was considered the lowest of the low… But the thing was that Jacob knew that was not true, there was nothing greater than his Seth. Nothing more loving, pure and kind… but especially forgiving and strong.

After his thirst was sated the master rested his back on the damp forest floor. He was having a hard time catching his breath since he had been running for close to eight hours while carrying the submissive on his back. "Thank you for protecting me." Whispered Seth while pressing a cool cloth on Jacob's forehead. His master looked spent and utterly exhausted. "Why don't you go to sleep, you need to rest. I'll stand guard."

Jacob took Seth's offer and in a few minutes the submissive heard the rhythmic snoring of his master. He guarded the alpha's sleeping form until dawn, keeping an eye out for any sound that could indicate the presence of uninvited guests. The first rays of the morning sun shone on Jacob's face forcing him to open his eyes and welcome the new day. His whole body was sore from the previous day's exertions but he was pleased with himself for having been able to protect Seth.

He looked around but Seth was nowhere to be seen, Jacob felt the fury begin to boil inside him. The little rat abandoned him; he shook his head to dissipate those destructive thoughts. Just the previous day he had decided to trust his submissive, he was ashamed to admit that his determination lasted less than a day. He understood he was too damaged and it would take time for him to act according to his feelings. He needed to grow in the love that was sprouting inside him.

Some rustling in the shrubs to his right caught his attention, scenting the air he felt himself smile when he caught Seth's delicious and enticing scent. The sandy wolf's snout was tinted red as he dragged a deer in his master's direction. The submissive phased back the instant he saw his master standing beside the stream. "Good morning master, I thought you would be hungry when you woke up and hunted for you. Did I do good?"

"Yes you did, thank you. It was not necessary but I appreciate it." Jacob encircled Seth's petite form with his arms and kissed him on the lips. That was exactly how he wanted every morning of the rest of his life to be like. Holding Seth in his arms, their lips together and their hearts beating as one.

"It's the least I could do for the man that saved my life." Seth moved towards his master and hugged him lovingly. He was so grateful to his master. Yes he had been a horrible never-ending nightmare in the past but he couldn't dwell on the past, if he did he would lose his mind. The slave focused on the here and now, this time was good.

Both wolves phased and ate their breakfast, their minds going over the events of the previous day. _Master where are we? _Seth had absolutely no idea where they could be; as a matter of fact he didn't know where the beach where they had spent the day was located. In his desperate state Jacob ran so fast that Seth couldn't even notice the direction they were traveling.

Jacob's wolf head shot up, his ears pointed up trying to identify any familiar sounds and his nose scented the air trying to identify any peculiar smells. _Ha! I'm so stupid; thank goodness those idiots couldn't catch up with us because I ran in the wrong direction. Instead of running south to get closer to home I ran north. At least I have a pretty good idea where we are. I have been here before with my pack. Follow me, if I'm right there is a really pretty place far ahead_. Seth grabbed their bag with his teeth and carried it always walking a few steps behind his master.

After about thirty minutes they stepped out of the overgrown forest and approached an old road filled with cracks with tall weeds growing in between. Following the road they ended up in an area overlooking some cliffs. They stood some distance from the edge, from it they could see the most beautiful and breathtaking view the slave had ever seen. A spectacular waterfall that had to be at least a couple hundred feet tall was nested between limestone cliffs. It was truly impressive, Seth felt his eyes sting with tears, the natural beauty of the area overwhelming him. The roar of the rushing water a testament to the power that the natural wonder possessed. The water plummeted down a sheer cliff wall through a small notch in the rock forming a pool on the bottom.

_Master this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I didn't even know a place like this existed. What is it called? _

_Taughannock Falls, we're in upstate New York. This was completely unplanned but I'm so happy we ended up here. I had forgotten about this place, it has been years since I was here last. C'mon there is a hiking trail we can follow to the bottom. _Seth followed his master as he maneuvered through the wide trail that took them to the base of the falls. As they got closer the fine cool mist cooled down their perpetually overheated bodies.

Both wolves were humbled by the glorious view of the vertical falls plunging through the rock seen from below. Along the base they observed a mixed hardwood forest. _Master is this the most beautiful sight you've seen?_

_Not really, there is one that's way more beautiful. _Jacob guarded his thoughts as he watched the proud profile of the sandy wolf next to him. Seth shifted and Jacob followed suit, not even bothering to reach for their clothes, after all, what was the point?

Seth sought his master's hand and interlaced his fingers with those of his master. Every day it was becoming easier for the slave to trust his master and rely on him for comfort and care. Even though he couldn't see his thoughts he sensed his panic when they were being chased the day before. Just a few months earlier his master would've taken the offer of Seth sacrificing himself to protect him but in this occasion he didn't. What had caused such a dramatic change in him? Damn if he knew.

The water looked crystalline and very inviting. They stood at the edge, the fine spray produced by the falls covering their bodies with thousands of infinitesimal droplets of water. Seth glanced sideways at his master feeling his admiration grow as he took in the alpha's handsome face. The submissive used his index finger to clean a few tiny droplets that rested on his master's long eyelashes making him giggle and take Seth's hand on one of his and kiss it.

"Is the water deep?" Asked Seth eyeing the water excitedly.

"Yes it is and cold as heck, want to try it?" Before Seth could answer Jacob pulled him towards him and jumped into the water making a huge splash. They broke the surface of the water with the submissive's arms around the master's neck. They laughed out loud with the first lungful of air.

"You surprised me! Bad master bad bad master!" Said Seth as he chuckled delighted with being able to address his master in such an informal way.

"Puppy, call me Jacob" Seth felt as the color drained from his face, his eyes wide as he stared at his master. He let out a deep sigh and tried to speak but opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of the water. Nothing came out he couldn't construct a logical sentence.

"Master… I can't" Seth didn't want to aggravate his master but years of slavery made its mark in him. He didn't consider himself worthy of addressing any dominant by their name. In any other circumstance it would be the grounds for some serious punishment.

"Why not? I'm telling you to call him by my name." Jacob's words came out a lot harsher than they should've making Seth flinch. Not only Jacob was learning he needed to use kind words with his submissive, he needed to tone down the inherent aggressiveness that every alpha possessed.

"Master I'm a slave; I've never addressed a dominant by his name. I was told they would pull out my teeth if I did. Like you told me the first time I…" Seth stopped talking the instant he noticed his master's crestfallen expression and pained look. "I'm sorry, I'll stop talking now."

Seth swam towards the water edge, leaving Jacob in the water. He was disappointed with himself for upsetting his master. Sitting under a tree he shivered as the light breeze hit his body. He pulled his legs toward his chest and rested his face on his knees. Jacob walked out of the water and after sitting next to the slave pulled him to his lap. "Puppy I'm sorry this screwed up system allows the dominants to treat you and others like you like shit. I won't even ask for your forgiveness, this is beyond forgiveness and a simple I'm sorry won't cut it. In the kingdom of the mother fuckers I'm king. Just know that I'm trying and I'll continue trying to do good by you." Jacob's heartfelt words warmed Seth's heart with dreams of a good future for both of them. He never had hope for the future; his reality did not go together with nice dreams.

"Ok no point of being mopey all day, let's explore. There is a really cool gorge on the other side of the waterfall." Master and slave spent the day exploring their surroundings. Jacob sat back and observed as Seth's wolf chased around a hare with no intention of hurting it. The poor thing was probably close to having a heart attack but the submissive was having too much fun. The alpha's heart swelled up with tenderness as his innocent slave ran, jumped and slid all over the place. He was indeed a puppy, the endearing nickname Jake had given taking a special meaning.

As night fell they snuggled together for the night. They lied down on the damp soil and observed the stars above them. Like every night in the past week Jacob held Seth in his arms while they talked before calling it a night. "Puppy, there is something I've been meaning to ask you since yesterday. How is it that you could hear the wolves while I couldn't?" Jacob noticed Seth tensed up.

"It's because my senses are more sensitive than those of most wolves. I can smell, hear and see things that are invisible to most. I've been told that what I do is called being a tracker." Jacob turned on his side leaning on his bent arm, his temple resting on his hand. He arched an eyebrow as he eyed his submissive in disbelieve. "That's why I was able to find Sophia when nobody could."

"Seth are all the submissives trackers?" With every passing second the master felt more ignorant. He had been around submissives half his life and he ignored so many details about them.

"No we're not, not even all have special gifts. I haven't met many subs, of the ones I have only Embry has a gift." It was Jacob's turn to get tense at the mere mention of Embry's name.

"And what can that one do?" Jacob really didn't care one way or another but his curiosity won. It didn't go unnoticed by Seth the disdain with which his master referred to his friend.

"He is a healer, when we were being transported the head of the caravan beat the three of us. Embry ran his hands over my skin and made it feel better. Master may I ask you something?"

"Sure Seth."

"Why do you hate Embry?"

"Because he gave you something I never could. He made you moan in pleasure and smile in bliss. I want to be the one to do that."

"Master with all due respect, you ordered us to fuck"

"I know, I'm an idiot."

"You're not."

"Well that debatable but we better hit the sack, I'm sure you must be tired. You didn't sleep a wink last night." Seth snuggled his body against that of his master. He felt so close to him, so afraid of everything he was experiencing.

"Good night puppy."

"Good night m… Jacob"


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello y'all, I need to apologize for taking so long to post this update, hopefully this extra-long chapter will help you forgive me. Also I need you to know how important your reviews are and how much I value them. Unfortunately I was not able to reply to the reviews from the last chapter. This was not an oversight on my part but more like real life messing with me. **

**This chapter may feel like a conclusion but it's not, far from it. Seth and Jacob will go back home in the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 19**

As the first rays of the morning sun began to peek through the clouds Seth lied in his master's arms. For fifteen years he had lived the life of a slave; that he knew, that he understood. Since the instant his master asked him to call him by his name he questioned all the routines and learned behaviors. Was Seth supposed to assume that Jacob saw him in a different light? He doubted that, history had a way to show that dominants and submissive were like oil and vinegar, they didn't mix. He knew his place; he understood he was nothing but a slave that for now had certain privileges, how long that would last only God knew. This presented a new set of problems for the submissive, after so many years of blind servitude he was given something so new that it terrified him. He was neither slave or free, he was neither man nor beast.

For now the slave was content with enjoying their newfound intimacy. He never expected to live that long and even less to ever care for his dominant as much as he found himself caring for Jacob. The uncertainty of what to expect prevented him from sleeping much, making him wake up before dawn. Under different circumstances he would've gone to the waterfall to get ready for his dominant or to hunt to provide breakfast for both of them. But at that moment with his master's iron grip around his waist all he could do was wait. He was not complaining, any submissive would give their right hand to get to experience what he was enjoying. His master had been so unlike a dominant that he questioned his sanity, either his master had lost his mind or he had lost his and instead of being in that little piece of heaven he was back in his master's room half-conscious after his latest affront.

To test his latest theory he pinched himself feeling as a smile crept up his lips when the small sting confirmed he was not asleep and most likely he was not losing his mind. As on cue a small flock of birds flew in his line of sight, the elaborate change in directions filling him with awe. It was like everything was conspiring to create the most idyllic environment for the couple. He ran the pad of his fingers over his master rough knuckles noticing the differences in their skin tone. Jacob showed the mark of a hardworking man that spent hours in the sun, either tending to their crops or their herds. Seth's light caramel skin on the other hand was evidence of a house dog who barely saw the light of the sun.

Betrayed by his nerves Seth tried to wiggle himself out of Jacob's grip but his movements were stilled by big strong hands. The slave looked over his shoulder at his master's serene expression and felt his heart swell. Jacob on the other hand couldn't believe how beautiful Seth looked bathed in light. "Good morning uh.."

"Jacob will do puppy, you made me a very happy wolf last night." The master pulled the submissive towards him and peppered his shoulders and his back with sweet tender kisses. Seth turned on his spot and returned the attentions. Seeking his master's lips he eagerly kissed him, welcoming their new day in paradise.

"Jacob you've made me very happy the last few weeks, actually the happiest I've ever been. Thank you." Whispered the sub to his master's ear, the warmth of his breath hitting Jake in all the right spots. Their newfound closeness surpassed every expectation either one of them had. Something as simple as hearing his name come out of his submissive's lips filled Jacob with an unexpected sense of belonging. The law said that Seth belonged to Jacob, but they knew better, they belonged to each other.

"If you don't stop thanking me, I'll be forced to find something for you to do with those delicious lips." Seth blushed in a combination of fear, embarrassment and excitement. He hoped his master meant kissing, but there were no guarantees.

"Damn it Seth that blush looks so sexy on you!" The master felt the all familiar stirring in his groin and made a very unsuccessful effort to conceal his arousal. With each passing day it was becoming harder for him to control himself. His body was craving a most needed sexual release, much more that could be achieved by himself. He needed his submissive, it was not a matter of lust anymore it was something so strong it was becoming unbearable.

The pair spent the day exploring the surrounding areas, the gorges and the lush forest. They had no schedules, no deadlines and no responsibilities. Their only task was to be there for each other and make the other feel loved and needed. After dinner Seth occupied what had turned into his usual spot, sitting between Jacob's legs, his back against the alpha's broad chest. Jacob would bend his knees and surround the submissive with his arms. They melted against each other; they could spend an eternity in each other's arms.

Since leaving the creek two days prior Jacob had not placed Seth's collar on him. It was a painful and sad reminder of the slave's status and neither one of them wanted to deal with reality. The master was deeply troubled; he had no idea if there was any precedent of a master and his slave having a relationship. He was well aware of the consequences to the submissive if he was found to be in love with his master. It was a never ending butt of jokes among dominants, the stupid slave losing his life for loving his master. Nobody, including him ever stopped to think that the slave they were joking about was a human being. Nobody cared, in everybody's eyes slaves were kind of a subspecies, almost in the same category with a bug that could be easily crushed if it became an inconvenience.

Lucky for them Seth had provided a way for them to be together. By risking his life to save Sophia he had guaranteed his freedom. Jacob had been selfish and cruel, by begging his father to keep Seth as a slave he had guaranteed the slave's company but at a very high price. The master would fix that wrong the moment they set foot back in the house. He would never force Seth to remain by his side, he wanted him to, but he wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. As soon as the submissive's freedom was signed, he would offer an escort if Seth decided to travel to South America to look for his sister. It would probably kill the alpha if his little submissive left but he wouldn't get in his way. Of one thing he was certain, he would never take another submissive, those days were over.

If Jacob was lucky enough that Seth would stay by his side he would do everything in his power to love and protect him for as long as they lived. The master wanted the submissive to experience being courted, preferably by him. It made him nervous that somebody would beat him to it, after all, anybody had a better chance seeing that he had treated the slave like dirt since the moment he set foot in his house. The marked preference Seth had for Quil and Edward filled the alpha with concern, he chuckled internally thinking of creative ways to transfer both men to a post as far away as possible from Seth. During this time he would make sure Seth knew exactly everything he had to offer. From his properties to his protection everything will be shared with his submissive. The most valuable commodity of all was his heart and that one already had the sub's seal on it.

"What's on your mind? You're smiling." Asked Seth, he had turned and was facing his master. A questioning look etched on his youthful face as he amusedly observed as Jacob blushed like a schoolgirl.

"You" It was Seth's turn to blush; he burrowed his face into his master's shoulder. Jacob laughed, the innocence of his slave filling him with glee. It would always boggle his mind that after walking through hell by the hand of demons Seth was still able to hold on to his humanity and his tenderness. Anyone in his situation would be bitter and angry, there was probably a little bit of both but he never showed anything that would attest to it. This was not a trait of the submissive's, this was an attribute exclusive to Seth. After knowing and killing so many of them Jacob really knew what was in their head and none of them would ever act like his wolf.

Seth placed a plethora of kisses along his master's collarbone, following its trail and ending up on his neck. The submissive would never know the kind of power he had over his dominant. But each and every kiss produced a cascade of indescribable emotions on the alpha. The master's breath would get stuck in his throat and his heart would thump out of sync. The slave would gently suck on the warm flesh of his master's neck while running his small hands over his powerful arms. Jacob would tilt his head back to give his submissive plenty of space to work his magic. As it always happened these actions tempted fate as they would make the alpha's resolve falter.

"Seth ugh, I gotta go." Jacob stood up in obvious discomfort as he made his way to an area out of Seth's sight. The submissive bit the inside of his cheek in an effort not to laugh out loud at his master's futile attempts to walk upright, it was just too funny to ignore.

"Puppy, this is not funny." If it weren't for the cute nick name his master had given him the submissive would've thought he was mad at him. Still a small part of him feared igniting Jacob's rage. The alpha turned on his spot, from his place on the soft grass Seth could see his master's fit body. What caught his attention filling him with a mixture of fear and desire was the contour of his master's hard member as it stood proudly. The slave turned his head not for a false sense of modesty but because of nerves.

Jacob walked out of Seth's sight leaving the sub by himself but not alone since the alpha was never more than a stone throw from his sub. Several minutes later the submissive heard the sound of the water as Jacob jumped in it. The slave decided to give his master some privacy and didn't join him in the frigid waters, even though he really wanted to.

The master shook some of the water off as he walked towards Seth, the remaining water would evaporate by itself. Jacob rested his head on the submissive outstretched legs. "Seth, do you ever jerk off?" Jacob's more than private question took the slave by surprise, he was getting used to his master's lack of tact but still got surprised when his master was too frank.

"Only occasionally, I'm usually too tired to think about it and it's hard to get horny when you're sore from other _activities_." Cue feeling like shit. Jacob felt like kicking himself for asking such a stupid question. Seth's sex life was anything but healthy and anyone with half a brain could see that.

Seth made an effort to lighten the mood. "Anyway I think you do enough jerking off for both of us." It was Jacob's turn to look embarrassed. If Seth only knew how much he was struggling to not do what his body was demanding. Every time he would hide to jerk off the only image that existed in his brain was his submissive. He imagined Seth trembling with need and desire. Moaning and saying his name as Jacob pounded him to oblivion.

"Seth, if you only knew." Whispered Jacob thinking out loud. Seth ran his fingers through Jacob's wet hair and noticed as the master's body relaxed. The master sighed contently, his slave's touch was like magic and he only prayed that the magic would never end.

Jacob sat up and placing his hands on Seth's body guided him so they were both lying down next to each other. Like a reflex the slave pressed his body against the full length of his master's. Master and slave were acting and reacting like a lock and key, perfect for each other. The sub rubbed his nose against the alpha's chest; he couldn't have enough of him. Seth was terrified of everything he was feeling, he knew it was a death sentence, but thought that if he went because of this it would be worth it. If only once in his life he experienced the power of true love he would go happy. The soothing sound of the waterfall and the creatures that surrounded them created a symphony of sounds that lulled them to sleep. Each one of them visiting a world of dreams that was nothing when compared to their real lives.

The next morning Jacob was startled awake, he was missing the warmth of Seth's body next to him. Immediately his mind took off, creating every possible and impossible scenario. He fought against every instinct he had as a dominant, every aggressive reaction he had as an alpha and the distrustful feelings he had as a traumatized man. One day he would tell his submissive the secret he hadn't shared with anyone, but today was not that day. Following the enticing aroma of his sub he found him relaxing in the pool as the roar of the waterfall drowned the faint sound of his steps.

Seth was the picture of relaxation as he floated on his back, his eyes closed and arms swaying back and forth. After admiring the simple beauty of the slave the alpha's body craved his company. The master had been starving his desire and depriving himself of the pleasure his submissive provided. But there were no regrets; every time the alpha was able to control himself was a small victory in the battle to regain his humanity. Jacob walked into the crystalline water trying not to disturb his sub.

"I know you're there Jake I can smell you." Seth didn't need to look at his master to know exactly where he was and Jacob didn't need to see his face to know the self-satisfied smirk that the sub sported. The master wanted to wipe that smirk off his face in the worst way possible, preferably by pushing the slave to his knees and placing his turgid length in his mouth to give it something way more productive and pleasurable to do. Jacob groaned internally as once again his thoughts went right down to his cock.

Seth swam towards his master and met him half way. Wrapping his legs around his waist he kissed him softly. "Good morning, why did you leave my side?" The submissive tensed on Jacob's arms as the stern expression and curt words caught him by surprise.

"I woke up very early and couldn't go back to sleep so I decided go for a swim. Master, you know I'll never leave you." Out of nerves Seth unconsciously reverted to calling Jacob master.

"Master?" Jacob arched one perfect eyebrow as he eyed his submissive. Instead of getting angry he recognized that Seth's reaction had been caused by fear. He didn't want his slave to fear him, but just like he knew he had a long way ahead of him, he understood that Seth had an even longer one to go. The alpha's lips found those of his sub and their tongues danced inside the slave's mouth. The submissive's kisses tasted like the sweetest nectar and Jacob was a helpless bee around him.

The reason why Seth couldn't go back to sleep was because he woke up with some serious wood and decided that a dip in the cold water would do the trick. It did, but perched on his master's waist the submissive could feel himself growing with every passing second. The slave wondered whether or not the alpha could keep his promise and not hurt him during sex. What Jacob didn't know was that like him Seth's need and desire was becoming unbearable.

Seth ground his naked erection against his master's body, not bothering to hide it. He was not as big as his master but he was a wolf nonetheless and being well endowed came with the territory. The submissive attacked his master's neck while trying to create some friction that would help his very obvious problem. Jacob loved how Seth's body was reacting; it was amazing how he was discovering that his slave's satisfaction was way more important than his own.

"My Seth, you're going to be the death of me. I swear that my big blue balls are going to explode if you keep this up." Seth laughed out loud at his master's comment. It felt good to laugh and the friction he was creating felt even better. Jacob squeezed his slave's ass so hard it was almost painful. He felt himself at the edge of a precipice, rocks beginning to give under him until he slid.

"Fuck this." Jacob let out a huff as he walked out of the water with Seth in his arms. He lied the submissive on the grass and covered him with his body. The alpha kissed his slave roughly while running his hands all over his body. He squeezed, grabbed and stroked every piece of flesh he could reach, his touch anything but loving. Seth could already feel the bruises forming under his skin; the alpha didn't even notice how brutal he was being. The master was acting like a ravenous beast about to decimate its prey. Jacob had lost all control; it was a matter of time anyway. Seth knew this could happen but still was hurt and scared. The master's member was hard as a rock and leaking pre-cum that formed threads that ended up on the submissive's sex.

Jacob grabbed Seth's hips roughly to turn him onto his stomach. The master was burrowing his fingers on the slave's tender flesh, his nails cutting him. The submissive tried to move quickly to avoid any more pain even though he knew that soon enough he would experience the all too familiar burning pain as his master rammed his manhood into him. Seth couldn't prevent the painful whine that escaped his lips. The submissive wished the sound would've stayed lodged in his throat but he was out of luck. The almost imperceptible sound was caught by Jacob's sensitive ears causing him to still his movements fighting within himself to get a grip on his desire.

Pushing himself off Seth's body Jacob whispered breathily a rushed _I'm sorry_ and ran as fast as he could. Seth's accusatory glare was burning his skin. He was not only an abuser but also a coward, not even brave enough to face his submissive after messing up. The slave sat up and after pulling his knees towards his chest he wept bitterly. He wasn't crying because he was upset, his tears were the product of crushed dreams. The submissive was embarrassed; not only he allowed himself to have hope but expected his master to comply with his wishes. He was a stupid ignorant wolf.

The slave stayed on the same spot, crying on and off but more than anything worried for his master. It had been hours since he saw him last. Seth could scent him, he was close enough but for reasons that were unknown to the submissive he wouldn't approach him. Early in the afternoon Jacob emerged from between some shrubs and walked toward his slave. As soon as the submissive saw him he turned onto his stomach, rose on his hands and knees, and arched his back to offer himself to his master.

"Don't fucking do that! I was a dick, I lost control. Seth I… I… Fuck!" Jacob was screaming loudly while pulling his hair and stomping the floor. To anyone it would seem as a tantrum but Seth knew better. His master was in pain, he had disappointed himself proving once more that dominants had no self-control. The slave sat on his hip facing his master but without lifting his eyes to meet those of his dominant.

They avoided each other the rest of the day; they didn't talk even though they needed to discuss what happened. Every time Seth would lift his eyes he would see the anguished look on Jacob's face. The submissive felt partly responsible for what happened. He was well aware of his master's weakness and still insisted on seeking some kind of pleasure. Yes he knew his master was not an animal and he should be able to control his urges but he understood why he couldn't. They were too similar, in opposites sides of the spectrum but similar nonetheless.

The nightfall found them apart from each other for the first time in weeks. Seth hadn't even bothered to hunt; he didn't feel hungry and only ate a few berries. Even thought it was almost summer the nights in upstate New York were still a little chilly. Seth hadn't noticed before seeing that he slept with a human furnace attached to him. The slave was very chilly on his spot on the grass; he yearned for his master proximity.

Jacob was absolutely miserable, he knew this could happen, just like with everything in his fucked up life every time he had something good going on he had to go and turn it to shit. He couldn't even look at his submissive, he was too proud to ask for forgiveness and it was killing him. Lost in his pity party he was surprised when Seth snuggled next to him. Immediately he wrapped his arms around his slave and warmed him up. Neither one of them spoke; Jake kissed Seth on the top of his head and felt as his submissive smiled against the skin of his chest. The alpha felt relaxed and at ease with his little wolf in his arms. He never wanted to let go. In each other's embrace, listening to each other's breaths like it was the most perfect lullaby, they felt as their eyelids got heavier and both drifted off to peaceful sleep.

The morning found Seth all by himself, did he dreamed everything? Did he dream about sleeping with his master? Listening to the rhythmic beat of his heart? All doubts were blown away when Jacob's russet wolf appeared between the tree line. Seth didn't fear him, yes that was a beast that could probably eat him whole in three bites but his eyes were loving and pure. Jacob placed a small bundle he had been carrying with his teeth and pushed it towards Seth with his nose. To the submissive it felt like a peace offering and a way of saying I'm sorry.

The slave opened the bundle to find sweet cherries; they were ripe and very tasty. The master lied down behind him, still in his wolf form. When Jacob felt troubled or upset he had a tendency to remain in wolf form, it was just easier. Seth ran his hand over his master's soft fur fascinated with the fact that even though it looked very coarse it felt silky soft. He turned his back to his master, eliciting a soft growl from him. The slave smiled knowingly and rested his back against Jake's furry body while nibbling on his fruit.

Jacob licked Seth's head but ended up huffing and shaking his muzzle because the sub's head was very prickly. The slave fretted over his master's reaction and ran his hand over his not so bald head. His eyes widened when he realized he had not shaved his head since they left the creek. He panicked and setting his food aside stood up hastily to go shave.

But Jacob wouldn't have any of that, he stood up towering over Seth and pushed him back to his previous spot, letting out a bark of laughter when the slave tripped on his own feet and fell. The tension of the previous day evaporated leaving behind the ease and peace they felt with each other.

"You shouldn't let your slave slack off, master. You wouldn't want me to become lazy and unkempt, would you?" Jake was troubled by this; he pictured Seth how he looked when he first arrived at the manor. His shiny shoulder length hair framing his youthful face. At that moment Jacob only had one thing in mind, getting Seth on all fours as soon as possible. Looking back at it he wished he would've never established that stupid rule for his submissives. He knew Seth would be happier and so would he. Unfortunately in order to protect his slave everything needed to stay the way it was. That was until Seth received his freedom, after that any wolf that as much as tousled the submissive's hair would have to answer to Jacob. Until then nobody could perceive that Seth was receiving preferential treatment. It could cost the little guy his life.

Jake's wolf form stood on its hind legs as he shifted, that way he would be standing up when the shift was over. Getting close to Seth the alpha placed one hand on the submissive's cheek while the other one rested on his hip. "I know you don't have a lazy bone on your body, I wish I could tell you to forget this crap. I remember how handsome you looked with your long hair. While we are here you don't have to do any of that, but before we return you'll have to. We have no choice; I don't trust anyone at the house to not go blabbering to the council about a slave getting preferential treatment. My father and I are soldiers not politicians, the council has been given too much power and now they abuse it. Anyone who confronts them pays dearly, of course they will be dead before they lay a finger on my dad, but you pup, you would be cannon fodder. Don't think for a second I won't protect you if they come after you, I would give my life for you. I just can't bear to put you at risk."

Seth leaned against his master's touch and rounded his slim waist. "I understand master." Stated the slave sadly.

The dominant's eyes shone with unshed tears and his expression softened. "It's Jacob, have you already forgotten my name?" Seth blushed adorably at his question and timidly shook his head no.

"Then please use it baby." Not even in Seth's dreams and fantasies he had been treated in such a loving way by a dominant.

After lunch they went for a walk. The alpha and his puppy took a different way back, coming upon a lush area with soft grass and tall trees sporting their new leaves. "Seth I'm sorry about yesterday."

"Master please I'm a slave; you shouldn't apologize to me."

"Here we go with this master shit again." His words were harsh but said with humor and a sweet smile on his face. "Anyway I am sorry, in my defense it's not my fault that you are sexy as fuck and got all frisky in the water."

"Joke aside I missed you as hell yesterday." Jacob sat under a tree on the soft grass and pulled Seth to his lap.

As it had become a common practice for the slave, he sat straddling his master's lap, his head resting on Jacob's chest. "I missed you too Jake"

After some time in which no words were exchanged Seth broke the silence. "Jacob, can I kiss you?"

"You don't have to ask permission my Seth." Their kiss was slow an sensual, even after only one day apart they craved each other's kisses. The two men couldn't get enough of each other. Seth kneeled to be able to reach his master's face without having to crane his neck up. In this position his naked front rested against his master's abdomen. Seth grinded his erection against his master body eliciting a moan from him when the scent of his slave's arousal reached him. Seth's lips followed the contour of Jacob's plump lips; his tongue invaded the moist cavern of his mouth. The submissive treaded his fingers on his master wild mane and pulled gently making his head tilt to the right. In this position Jacob's sensitive neck was left unguarded and the sub didn't waste one minute before attacking it.

Jacob's hands found the slave's globes and he kneaded the soft flesh. Seth could sense how turned on his master was as his breath became ragged and his heart sped up. He couldn't help but to be proud of being able to produce that effect on him. The submissive sat down, his naked erection coming in contact with his master's. Jacob felt his will faltering again and before he got to the point of no return he stilled Seth's movements. "Seth, I have to go. I don't want what happened yesterday to repeat itself."

"Please master, don't go."

"I can't risk losing control again."

"I trust you, my Jake." With those five simple words Seth disarmed his master completely. Jacob was touched that his little submissive had any sort of faith in him. The master held his sub close, but his slave wanted more, no… he needed more.

The submissive's hands found their way between their bodies and he boldly caressed his master's cock making Jacob's eyes go wide in utter surprise. The master felt like he had an angel on one shoulder telling him to stop and a demon on the other telling him to take his submissive for everything he was worth. Truth of the matter was that he wanted to be inside his wolf, every cell of his body was begging him for it, screaming at him to take what was rightfully his. He was even arguing with himself that the submissive wanted this. But his more logical and human side was telling him that there was no chance in hell that the slave would want to be mounted by him. Jacob's thoughts were turning dark as the alpha struggled to stay in control. He refused to act like the monster he too often turned into. Seth was just too precious for him to force himself on the sub.

Seth was completely oblivious to his master inner battle and sought his lips while his hand formed a fist around Jacob's erection. His fist slid along the full length of his master's member while he devoured the alpha's mouth. He made a decision to demand what he wanted. His master was showing a lot of restraint and Seth knew Jake deserved his trust. Yes he fucked up royally the day before but he was truly repentant and Seth knew it.

The slave paused and took a cleansing breath before addressing his master. He knew that as soon as he said what was in his mind there would be no turning back. "Jake, make love to me."

The master hoped he heard right but that only added to his conflicting thoughts. "I can't" Seth's eyes became downcast as he deflated. Of course his master had to reject him, what was he thinking? In his owner's eyes he was nothing but a good fuck. How could he even ponder the idea of his master wanting to make love to him? The slave tried to stand up but was prevented from doing so by his master. He realized a little too late that his short statement had been taken wrong by the slave who only saw it as a rejection.

"Baby I want to, but I can't. The truth of the matter is that I don't know how to make love. I only know how to fuck, but you are to be cherished, not fucked."

"But I want to be yours, completely and unequivocally yours." Stated Seth, his eyes inundated with tears that were spilling from the corners.

Jacob's saw Seth's determination and decided to humble himself to his submissive. "Puppy will you teach me how to make love?" Seth blushed and nodded.

"I don't have much experience in that department. I've never made love to anyone but I can tell you what I like."

"That sounds perfect, after all you're the only one I want to make love to, there is no one else in my heart." Seth's thoughts became a whirlwind as he debated whether or not he heard right. Did his master declare his love for him? He dismissed the idea entirely; it was not only unlikely but utterly ridiculous. Coming to that realization didn't deter his intentions one bit. A long time ago he had learned to live for the moment. Slaves never knew if they would see the next day and enjoyed whatever small good experience that was presented to them.

Seth moved away from Jacob's lap, action that elicited a soft whine to escape the alpha's lips. The submissive pulled apart Jacob's legs and sat between them, his own legs over those of his master. Both men felt nervous, this was a new experience for them. Yes they had been around the block one too many times but feelings were never involved. This was as scary as it was exciting.

The submissive extended his hand and waited for his master to do the same. The slave couldn't help but smile when he noticed his master's trembling fingers as he reached for his hand. He gave Jacob's hand a slight squeeze; just the sub's touch was enough to calm the alpha's nerves. Taking his master's hand to his lips Seth traced them with the fingertips. Jacob could feel the softness and the warm breath of his slave. The master copied Seth's action and took the slave's hand bringing it to his lips and kissed it before tracing the contour of his soft lips with it.

Jacob's skin was soft as velvet as the slave ran his hands over his face. The master closed his eyes and enjoyed being touched in such a soft and sensual way. The back of Seth's hand explored his master's skin, traveling down along his corded neck and ending up on his collarbone. His pulse was going at an unruly pace, the alpha was turning to putty in the submissive's hands. Jacob's skin felt hot, on fire, and a slight tremor skittered through his hard muscles. The submissive reveled on the power of his master's biceps and giggled when he realized he could barely close his hand around the muscular arm. The slave's laughter was enough to warm Jacob's heart; he could almost feel the sub's happiness.

The master leaned forward and kissed Seth's cheek several times moving closer to his lips each time until he ended up right on the corner of the submissive's mouth. Feeling playful Seth turned his head just enough so his master's next kiss landed on his lips. The pair engaged in a series of closed mouth kisses and gentle bites. They could feel each other smiling against the other's mouth. Seth sucked in his master's lower lip and ran the tip of his tongue over it. He then placed his hands on each side of his master's face, sweeping across the cheekbone with his thumb. They deepened the kiss; Jacob's tongue darted into his submissive's mouth making Seth pull back. Jacob didn't know how to be gentle; with him everything was about power and strength.

Seth opened his eyes and saw the confused expression on Jacob's face. "Be gentle" the master understood the message and allowed the slave to lead. He asked to be taught and needed to take the back seat and let Seth drive. They locked lips but this time the submissive slid the tip of his tongue inside his master's mouth and gently began to move it against the tip of Jacob's tongue. His strokes became deeper and harder but not rough or rushed. They alternated between deeper and shallow to using only their lips from time to time. Seth grazed his master's lips with his teeth provoking a soft moan to escape his lips. They pulled back for a moment and pressed their foreheads together, they needed to catch their breath. Jacob marveled at the way his body was responding, they had only kissed but he already experienced more intimacy than ever before.

The slave placed his hands on Jacob's shoulders while he moved so he was kneeling with one knee on each side of his master's right leg. "Close your eyes." Jacob did as instructed and felt the submissive's soft lips on his eyelids and going down the right side on his face ending up on his ear where he nibbled on the lobe. The master surrounded Seth with one arm while the other caressed his back. He felt so small and delicate, his body a perfect combination of softness and strength. Seth kissed his master's shoulder while the palm of his hands explored his brawny back. The alpha was beginning to understand, his slave liked to be touched gently, slowly and tender.

The alpha pushed Seth back and moved his hand to his chest where he massaged each one of his pecs. He peppered his chest with kisses, taking the time to pay special attention to his nipples. The slave's nipples were small, just a shade darker than his skin and very sensitive. The instant Jacob's lips touched them they got hard and a soft moan left Seth's lips. The master loved making his submissive moan of pleasure, he could easily get addicted to that sound. Jacob caressed the taut muscles of the slave's abdomen while biting softly the tip of one nipple. The alpha could feel his penis throbbing, he was dying to be inside his sub but loved what they were doing and wouldn't dare risk killing the mood.

Jacob placed one hand behind his submissive's head and the other on his waist. He pulled him towards him and claimed his lips. Seth felt as his master lowered him to the soft grass and sat next to him. The alpha's hands explored the slave's body like it was the most exotic and priceless sculpture. But unlike the day before his touch was feather light. Moving towards Seth' feet he kissed the top part and left a trail of soft kisses on the slave's legs as he moved up towards his torso. He purposely skipped over the submissive's sex even though he was dying to taste it.

The master hovered over the sub's body and admired the beauty of the man in front of him. He couldn't believe his good fortune, he was well aware that he didn't deserve his little wolf. "Seth, you are exquisite." Jake observed the blush that started on Seth's chest and migrated up to color his cheeks. It was so adorable; he looked so young and innocent. The master's able mouth descended on the slave's neck and he sucked on the sensitive flesh while Seth treaded his fingers on his master's hair. Jacob's tongue was dancing on the side of the sub's neck making the slave writhe and groan in pleasure.

Seth's need was as evident as the alpha's, he bent his knees and separated his legs to accommodate his master's massive form between them. The slave pulled his master's head to him and reached up to kiss him. They kissed deeply while Jacob held himself with one arm and played with one of Seth's nipples with the other. The master's dominant side took over and he suddenly grabbed both of the slave's arms and pushed them over his head, holding them down. Seth's heart took off in a wild race and his breath came out in pants. He was not excited, he was afraid, he hoped and trusted his master was not going to hurt him but he couldn't help how he responded to the alpha's sudden change.

"Trust me love." Seth nodded and closed his eyes in complete surrender. Jacob's lips caressed Seth's skin starting on his forearm, going down to his shoulder, his neck, chest and abdomen. He wanted to wake up every inch of his submissive's body. He felt the slave shiver and met his half lidded eyes. The slave had not even noticed when Jacob let go of his arms and stayed in the same position, like there was an invisible force keeping him there. The alpha had no idea what he was doing and had to keep checking Seth's reactions. He was satisfied so far but soon enough he was going to have to stop and ask for directions.

The master laid down next to his slave and moved him so Seth was on his side facing his master. Their lips found each other while the submissive's hands ran up and down Jacob's side. They intertwined their legs; they wanted to be as close to each other as they could but neither one of them wanted to rush things. Their desire was making their skin crawl and if their sexes touched they wouldn't be able to hold back. As it was they were both leaking copious amounts of pre-cum from the tips of their erect members.

"Seth, can I touch you?" The alpha didn't want to take anything, it was his slave's moment, it was all about his pleasure.

"Of course you can, I'm all yours Jake." Sensing how hesitant his master was, Seth reached for his master's hand and placed it on his own cock. The submissive's breath faltered the instant his master's hand came in contact with his overheated turgid flesh. Jacob stayed like an idiot holding his slave's member and not knowing what to do with it. He knew how he liked to jerk off but this was so foreign to him. He had never touched another male like that, yes he had fucked many men, some that volunteered and some that didn't, but he never cared for anybody's pleasure but his own.

Seth laughed lightly when he comprehended his master's incompetence. Placing his hand over Jacob's he moved it slowly along the shaft stopping for a moment to brush his master's thumb over the slit to gather some much needed moisture. "This is how I like it." Explained Seth as he closed his hand around the alpha's and masturbated with it. The slave removed his hand but encouraged his master to keep going. The submissive pressed his face against his master's chest and inhaled his scent. If this was a dream he never wanted to wake up. The submissive reached out and wrapped his small hand on his master's member; it was as swollen as his own. He worked eagerly along the length of his penis enjoying every sound that came out of his master's lips.

Jacob felt his submissive tense up and knew his orgasm was imminent. Instead of continuing he stalled his movements making a soft whine to escape the sub's lips. He wouldn't hear any of it, he had no fucking idea what he was doing but damn if he lost his domineering ways for one minute. Anyway he had many plans for his young lover and coming on his hand was not one of them.

Seth rested on his back again as Jacob licked a path starting on the sub's neck going down between his pecs and ending up on his abs. He was kissing his way down the sub's body arousing every square in of his skin. The submissive's body glistened as it responded to his master's attentions. Jacob settled between his sub's legs and scraped the skin of his inner thigh with his dull nails. He wrapped one hand around the base of his quivering member, holding it and squeezing it lightly. The slave's body was responding like a fine tuned instrument and shivered in anticipation for what he hoped would come.

The master lowered himself towards the glistening head and gave it a few tentative licks. That was another first for him; he had never taken another man's member in his mouth. He licked up and down, sliding his tongue over the slit and tasting the submissive's fluids. "Fuck, puppy you taste so good." He couldn't wait one second before slowly sliding the satiny hardness into his mouth, his nose pressed against his slave's abdomen and his chin nestled on the ball sack. Jacob closed his eyes and savored the moment. The master could feel the vein under Seth's dick beating fiercely against his tongue filling his mouth with so much heat that it was almost unbearable.

Jacob rolled his tongue several times around the crown, before pulling the head out until it reached his lips then drilling it back in. He slurped hungrily at the head as it exited his mouth only to turn his attention to Seth's balls. He slipped one of the balls into his mouth taking pleasure in the sub's loud deep growl. The alpha couldn't believe how tantalizingly heavy they felt against his tongue as he delicately worked on each one of them.

Seth was going mad with desire as his master flicked, licked and probed every inch of his sex. He was using Jacob's mouth for his pleasure thrusting savagely while his master sucked eagerly and full of need. The sub had never been so turned on before in his life, he was being taken towards his climax at top speed. From his angle he could see Jacob's head working over his crotch, delivering him immeasurable amounts of pleasure. Wanting to prolong the submissive's pleasure and torture him a little, the alpha slowed down. "Please master, please don't stop."

The master had no intention of stopping, he remembered what he had seen Embry do and decided to copy him. Allowing Seth's cock to exit his mouth he encased it on his fist to continue pumping it while he slid one of his fingers in his mouth to wet it. He took the length of Seth's cock in his mouth and at the same time pushed his dampened finger past his puckered entry. Jacob sucked hard running his tongue along the underside and probing inside the submissive's body with his finger. When Jacob's thick finger found its target it was enough to send Seth over the edge. The slave strung his fingers on his master's hair and pushed him down making him swallow him whole. He climaxed delivering copious amounts of his man nectar directly to his master throat. The alpha swallowed greedily, he never thought he would enjoy such a thing but as it was he couldn't wait to have his wolf cum in his mouth again.

Jacob lied down next to his slave hauling him against his solid chest and wrapping him in his arms until his heart slowed down and his breathing returned to normal. Seth sought his master's lips, tasting himself in his master's mouth. The alpha could spend the rest of his life kissing his submissive, the kiss turned ravenous with craving, need and desire. Sensing his master's want the submissive pushed himself away from his master's body so he could fulfill his duty. He couldn't comprehend what was happening, he knew his master had pleasured him but nothing ever came for free. The submissive tried to rise to his knees to extend his master with the same courtesy but was stopped on his tracks.

"No puppy, if you let me I'll have my pleasure but only after you have been sated. Don't think that's the only time I want you to cum today." Jacob wiggled his brows suggestively while a sparkle of mischief shone in his eyes.

"Seth I want to take you but not at your expense. How can I make it not hurt when I enter you?"

"What you did before with your finger, you can use two or even three fingers and stretch me. The only thing is that… I won't be as tight initially as you like it." The only somewhat compliment Seth had ever received from Jacob was when during their fuck sessions the alpha would tell him again and again how much he liked his tight ass. In his mind he owed the alpha that consideration.

"Baby if I've learned something from this experience is that your pleasure makes mine more intense. As long as I'm making you feel good I'll feel like I'm in heaven. Is it ok if we try? I'm horny as hell." Something flickered in the slave's grey eyes, a gleam of a promise of sex that took the alpha's breath away. Seth melted in his master's arms and the pair kissed long and soft. Jacob rounded his submissive's slim body and teased his entrance. As before one finger slid in easily, after all that was a part of Seth's body that had plenty of experience. They didn't stop kissing as Jacob slid a second digit inside his wolf and separated his fingers to stretch him even further.

"What position you will be more comfortable in?" Mumbled Jacob against the sub's lips, neither one of them wanted to break contact, it was just too intense and exciting.

"Any way you want to have me is fine." Seth had never been given any options, for fifteen years his life consisted of obeying or being punished. At that moment he was being asked to choose, the only decision the slave had made since phasing for the first time was to die or to live another day. He wasn't sure if he could make any sound decisions.

"That won't do, Seth you know I don't have a lot of patience, answer my question." Jacob was getting frustrated, not with Seth, after everything he witnessed and what the submissive told him about his initiation he knew he was in front of a broken man and it hurt his soul.

"On my side" Seth lied on his side with his back towards his master. Jacob's heart ached when he noticed the multiple scars on the slave's back and swore to never be the cause of one more mark on the young wolf's body. His big strong hands massaged the submissive's shoulders eliciting a content sigh from him. His hands rummaged over his warm skin, his kisses soothed every scar. The master wished he could erase the sub's suffering. He wished his kisses would be like a magical potion that would make him forget everything he had been through.

Seth became increasingly nervous, he had done so many transgressions since they began making love that when his master came back to his senses it would be the end of the small wolf. Still, he wanted to please his master, in his own way show him what being human was all about, caring for others. The master's lips felt soft as the voice of an angel. Who was the man behind him? The submissive struggled to wrap his mind around the fact that the man who was lovingly kissing him like nobody had ever done it before was the same man that only a few months prior tortured and starved him.

If the slave wanted to have a chance at happiness he needed to let go of his fears. He needed to let go of the resentment he felt for every dominant, including Jacob. But more than anything if he ever aspired to reach his master's heart he needed to put his own heart on the line. It would be tricky, he would never be able to tell his master how he felt, it was too big of a risk. He would have to show Jacob, his actions would have to speak for him since his words had been castrated by a cruel world and the tyrants that led it.

Seth swung his arm up and over his shoulder to run his fingers on his master's sweaty tresses. Jacob responded by softly biting the slave's shoulder, not enough to hurt him but enough to make his cock twitch from the raw sexual power of that action alone. The submissive grinded his naked behind against his master's raging hard-on. Jacob placed one of his legs over Seth's using his limbs to imprison his wolf. The lovers wild panting filled the air with its sound of careless abandon. Their bodies were becoming aflame with excitement and shook in desperate need.

"My Jake please." Begged Seth to his master, it went beyond the sexual instinct. Every inch of the young wolf's body had been awakened by his master's able hands, body and lips. The master had become the slave, the lines that divided them becoming more blurry with each breath they took. The master and the slave may have been born in different worlds but destiny put them together.

The alpha's fingers were nestled deep inside the submissive's body. Seth's tilted his head back and gave a deep moan every time Jacob grazed the delicate bundle of nerves inside him. His body was demanding for his master to bury his hard-on to the hilt inside him, even if it hurt.

Jacob couldn't hold back any longer, wrapping one of his arms on the submissive's waist he plunged inside him. Electricity shot along his spine when Seth's tight ring of muscle gripped his engorged flesh. His cock lodged a measly fraction of its length inside Seth's tight channel. He squirmed towards him in an attempt to force his master deeper inside him, but Jacob stalled his movements with a hand on his hip. The alpha had no intention of giving into the sub's demands, he wouldn't hurt him. He advanced slowly, filling him in gradual increments. The flare of pain from the big intrusion morphed into waves of pleasure as the sub's body accommodated his girth and length.

The alpha moved the arm he had around Seth's waist towards the sub's hand. They interlaced their fingers; Jake pushed their joined hands against the slave's chest while kissing his shoulder. Jacob pulled out until just the head rested inside his submissive, only to pierce his flesh once more. Seth's body cried and argued each time Jacob's member left his body but was quickly rewarded when his heat entered him again. The master felt himself becoming undone too fast and instead of going for the win he decided to tease the sub's entrance, rubbing the bulbous tip on the sensitive flesh he twitched in and out. In one fluid motion he buried himself to the hilt causing a guttural grunt to originate deep inside his slave.

Seth was writhing in pleasure as his master's body curled behind him. His sweat damped chest against the slave's back. He could feel every inch of his master's shaft throbbing inside him; it felt heavenly, like they were made for each other. "Jacob it's amazing, you're amazing, this is fucking amazing!" Screamed Seth to the top of his lungs. Causing a smug smile to appear on Jacob's face.

"Puppy turn on your back, I need to see your eyes while I make you mine." Jacob pulled out completely and Seth swiftly rolled on his back. The submissive wrapped his legs around his lover's waist and closed his eyes half way. With just one powerful push his master was seated inside him. That position allowed the alpha to have deeper access. Jacob bent forward for a kiss that matched the closeness they both felt.

Seth's small hands scrambled over his master's glistening torso, the bunched muscles of his chest flexing under his hands. Their skin was flushed with the intense arousal they felt. "Don't touch yourself Seth. I don't want this to end yet, it's too good." Jacob could see how the head of the submissive's cock was past red and nearly purple. Even after coming not so long ago the sub's body was begging for release. In addition, the master knew that the moment Seth reached nirvana it would be game over for him too. He was certain that just the vision of his little wolf writhing in pleasure will be enough to send him over the edge.

Jacob established a moderate tempo as he made love to his wolf. Seth exposed his sensitive neck to his master silently begging for attention. Jacob's lips found themselves sucking on the slave's Adam's apple and trailing kisses up towards his ear and back again. The submissive tightened his legs around his master's slim waist as the added sensation on his neck went directly to his cock. He belonged to his master in body and spirit.

The alpha could feel each one of the undulating movements deep inside the submissive's body. Their orgasm was gathering inside their bodies as their breathing became even more labored. The sensations on the wolves' bodies had a violent fury quality to them. They fought their ecstasy; they didn't want it to end. Still Jacob couldn't stop possessing the sub's body. His strokes were long and fluid, enough to keep them panting in bliss but not so much as to make them cum. Every boundary that separated master and slave dissipated, they were lovers in every sense of the word.

"I could spend the rest of my life just like this, you're mine Seth Black, all mine." The combination of his master's flesh inside him, his scent surrounding them and his domineering words were becoming too much for the submissive.

It started slowly, escalating in intensity as both males felt their resistance being crushed by the raw need inside each one of them. Seth's inner muscles gripped his master, milking him for everything he had as the repetitive spasms went in crescendo inside the submissive's body. The slave buried his nails in his master's arms as he came, spurting white ribbons over his chest and stomach. His head rolled from side to side, as waves of sensations cascaded over his body. The tremors deep inside the slave and the strangled desperate sound that stemmed from deep within him were the sexiest things the alpha had ever felt and witnessed. The sight before him tipped Jacob over the edge. The rush of his hot seed slicked Seth's channel. A wild intensity took over their every thought and feeling. Jacob became light-headed; his whole body tingled with waves of pleasure that mimicked ripples in a pond.

Pleasure coursed through them like hot lava that didn't burn, didn't destroy, it created a cascade of sensations and emotions that swirled around them like an angry tornado. Still they remained anchored to this world by the fine thread of their love. Jacob willed his eyes open and saw Seth looking at him with the unmistakably look of love in his eyes. He knew he didn't deserve that love, he didn't earn it, but his wolf being who he was gave it to him freely and without asking for anything in return. When the master gathered his wits enough he eased out of his submissive and laid down beside him with one of his long legs slung over his submissive's legs. They kissed lazily and smiled knowingly as their hands caressed each other's bodies.

Every pretense had been shattered, leaving behind the unadulterated truth. Tenderness poured out of each one of the master's pores, he was grateful to his submissive for opening the doors that kept his soul locked in. For the first time in years he felt hope, he felt at peace.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello! I want to thank all the readers, the ones who favorite, the ones who alert and especially the ones that review. I know I say this in every chapter but I believe that the feedback I receive from you is the motor that keeps me going. **

**I wanted to mention two stories that I'm enjoying very much; Cursed by TurnItUp03 and Gravity by Jack Stall. If you get a chance check them out, you won't regret it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 20**

After making love for the first time the alpha and his pup stayed together not wanting to leave each other's presence for even one second. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly since they were too busy kissing, playfully evading furtive glances and enjoying life like neither one of them ever did before. After sharing a quick meal they enjoyed each other's bodies once more before going on to a peaceful sleep. They were spent, sated and happy. The two wolves spent their first night as lovers in a tight embrace that lasted all night. For the first time in years Jacob didn't have any nightmares and was able to rest while holding his puppy in his arms. They both knew that life would only get harder for them from then on, but that took a back seat to the joyous celebration going on in their souls.

Jacob woke up his submissive by kissing his sleeping form until the little wolf was roused from his peaceful sleep. The master chuckled watching as his puppy could barely keep his eyes open and weakly fought to remain in la-la land. "Good morning love." The alpha nuzzled the slave's neck while whispering in his ear. Seth pretended to remain asleep just so his master would keep teasing his ear with his warm breath and loving words.

Seth had a very good reason to be tired. Not only had the previous day _strenuous_ activities lent themselves to be exhausting. The slave spent half the night watching his master's sleeping form and dreaming of joyful days and love-filled nights. He knew it was an impossible dream but he dared to fantasize about a future with his master. The submissive would be deluding himself if he honestly believed that what happened between them would change anything. It didn't matter how loving Jake acted or how many times he called him love or baby, at the end of the day other people's opinions would weigh heavily on the alpha and he would succumb to the pressure.

"Good morning Jake." Seth finally relented and opened his eyes. His eyes focused slowly but as they did his master's handsome features became clearer. The submissive kissed the tip of two of his fingers and pressed them against Jake's full lips. Grabbing the slave's hand he covered it with tender innocent kisses. Seth's hand was almost as delicate as a woman's and so small that it was completely lost inside his master's paw of a hand.

Jacob interlaced his fingers with those of his submissive and rested their hands on the slave's stomach. "Seth, this is how I want to wake up every day for the rest of my life, with you by my side and feeling my heart swell with emotion when your gorgeous steely gaze lands on me." Seth smiled because regardless of how cheesy his master's words sounded he knew they were heartfelt. He could feel the emotion behind every word like he was speaking directly to his soul.

"Why are you smiling? What's on your mind?" Asked Jacob.

"Promise you won't get angry." Seth was making an effort to trust his master but fifteen years of torture showed him how cruel and unpredictable a dominant could be.

"Can't promise that; I may get angry and be forced to punish you." Seth's face fell when his master's words left his lips. He knew it was too good to be true, he should've known. Life had never been fair, why would it start now?

Noticing Seth's distress Jacob realized how utterly idiotic his statement had been. "Oh fuck, I have a serious case of foot in mouth disease. I'm sorry pup; I was trying to be funny and failed miserably." Jacob nuzzled Seth's cheek trying to get him to at least smile. He had a serious talent for making a mess of things. Nothing worked, the submissive was too lost in the bad memories those words elicited to even care to listen to his master.

Frustrated and scared with the whole situation Jacob sat up to have a better view of his submissive. Seth's eyes were lost, far from their paradise; he was relieving some of his hell. "Please baby talk to me, I'm sorry I scared you. You know very well that I will never lay a finger in you ever again unless it's to love you."

After his last statement Jacob was able to bring Seth back to their reality. "Master, don't apologize to me, it's undignified. You have all the right to punish me if you see fit. My life is in your hands." Every time Seth got scared or if Jacob did something that reminded him of his status as slave he would revert to his slave mentality and call Jacob master.

"First of all, stop it with the "master" shit. I told you to call me by my name and it really pisses me off when you don't. Are you trying to punish me by calling me master or is it some kind of passive aggressive bullshit? Whatever it is, quit it." With every word Jacob was digging his grave deeper. Such was his anger that he didn't even notice that Seth was slowly inching away from him. The slave's heart was like a wild horse in an open field and his eyes were as wide as they could get.

The submissive didn't know what to do. He had angered his master and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't call Jacob master to punish him or for the other thing that Seth didn't even know what it meant. The slave was just scared; he knew how aggressive his master was. He had the scars from the numerous times Jacob's belt had left imprints on his skin after he beat the living daylights out of him. The pure fierceness of the attacks was something that he would never forget. The slave remained silent; he wouldn't dare temp the fury his master.

"I can't deal with this shit, I said something stupid, I admit it, but you are being an idiot. It was a joke, a bad one, but a joke indeed. There is no need for this behavior. When are you going to understand that in the eyes of the world for now you are my slave, but I don't see you as such? To me you are my Seth, the only person to ever make me feel alive. The only person I care about." Jacob knew what was really in his heart but refused to acknowledge that truth. It was at the same time wonderful and terrifying.

Jacob last statement really hit a chord with the submissive, who flung himself to his master's arms seeking and providing much needed comfort. The submissive placed his head on the left side of Jacob's chest while his master surrounded him with his arms. Seth still couldn't utter a word, both men realizing just how traumatized the submissive was. "I'm sorry baby, for what I said before and for being a monster. I almost asked you the stupid question of the day, 'why are you so scared of me?' Instead I should ask myself how you can stand to be next to me." They stayed in their embrace, their bodies' swaying slightly like there was a secret symphony playing, one that played just for them. The master absentmindedly traced circles on the slave's naked back. The sub would never understand how or why his master's touch was so powerful, but he was grateful nonetheless for the effect it had on him. He could feel himself melting against his master's body, each muscle that until then had been tense relaxing notably.

The master pushed himself off his submissive even though he wanted to stay in their embrace for the rest of their lives, but he heard the unmistakable sound of Seth's stomach growling; his pup was hungry. Something as normal as that sound brought shame to Jacob, how many times he heard that sound and ignored it for some twisted reason or another. He made his puppy pay for the sins of others, it was not fair but in his sick mind it was justifiable. They knew they had many hurdles and obstacles to overcome. They needed to leave behind them all the pain and suffering they had endured. Jacob knew he didn't deserve that luxury, he would never forget how he treated his pup. In his evilness he made sure to leave a permanent mark on the slave's body. That mark will be a constant reminder of his failure as a human being.

"Baby you're hungry, come, let's go." Master and slave interlaced their fingers as they walked in the direction of the woods.

"Seth you're awfully quiet, are you not going to speak to me ever again?" Jacob turned towards his submissive before phasing and looked at him with a questioning look on his face. His eyes shone with hope, he still dared to dream even if it was an impossible dream.

"Yes I am, I just got very scared Jake. Please don't joke about punishing me, I was not torturing you by calling you master, I felt I angered you and panicked." They were locked in a loving embrace that they wished could last an eternity. Jacob placed a kiss on Seth's prickly head.

Jacob held the submissive sweet face between his hands while alternating his words with loving kisses. "I know… baby…, please… trust… me. When I told you I won't ever hurt you again I meant it. I may huff and puff, even scream my head off but my hands will never find your skin in anger." Seth smiled against his master's lips. "Mmmm does that smile mean I'm forgiven?"

"There is nothing to forgive, I overreacted."

"Love, there is so much to forgive, even if we live five lifetimes it will not be enough time to make up for everything I did to you."

"Let's drop the subject; I don't want to spend the rest of the day debating about the value of forgiveness." Seth felt the need to defuse a situation that was turning too dramatic. It was completely unnecessary to rub salt on their wounds.

"Sounds good to me, c'mon I'll hunt for you."

"Why? We always hunt together; I'm getting better at it." Stated Seth slightly embarrassed.

"You are a great student and learned to hunt very fast but I need to provide for you." Jake looked unsure of himself, nothing like the cocky alpha he was. He acted more like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Provide for me?" Seth gave the alpha a questioning look.

"Yes, you know, take care of you. After all, you're my boyfriend." Seth stopped in his tracks like he had crashed onto a wall. Did Jacob lose his mind? That had to be it; there was no logical explanation for what he said.

"Please Jake, don't." The shocked plea that came out of Seth's lips was the product of panic. He was very much aware that those words, as beautiful as they were, equaled a death sentence for the submissive.

"I know what you're thinking. Seth, there is nobody here but us and please, even if it's for a few days, can we dream?" The submissive thought about it and Jacob was right; there was no reason for them to not engage in some role play. Reality would rear its ugly head and they will crash down hard, but he needed to enjoy the moment.

"Ok boyfriend, hunt for me." Seth was grinning like the Cheshire cat, earning a serious eye roll from his master.

Seth sat quietly on his hind legs observing with fascination how his master's massive form stalked its prey not making a noise. For such a huge beast he moved like he weighed less than a feather. In no time an elk felt victim to his sharp canines. The alpha dragged the animal to where the submissive was sitting and offered it to him. The sub looked at Jake quizzically, he was waiting for his master to dig in; he was supposed to wait until his master was satisfied to get his share.

_Seth, eat. _It was not an order but to the slave felt like one.

_But you haven't taken your part yet, I cannot eat before you do._ Stated Seth.

_I'm telling you to eat, don't contradict me. _Even though they were both being very careful and zealously guarding their thoughts they still felt apprehensive and communicated way more curtly than needed.

Jake joined the sub after Seth began tearing pieces off the unfortunate animal. They ate their fill and buried the carcass before going on with the rest of their day. The morning passed with the two lovers engaging in silly games and having deep conversations about every subject they could think off. Their conversations usually gravitated to each other; they loved to learn what made the other one tick. Seth thoroughly enjoyed hearing all the trouble his master used to get into when he was only a pup. He never would've guessed that the man he feared above all others had been a rambunctious child that gave his parents grey hairs on a daily basis. Jacob on the other hand felt his heart constrict inside his chest with Seth tale of misery, abandonment and rejection.

They craved each other, their bodies screaming for contact. Seth asked his master to take him in the forest and Jacob happily complied. What the master didn't expect was the sub's eagerness and willingness to be loved in every possible way. The alpha pondered on the fact that this was what he had been missing all those years. It was not a matter of having sex; it was a matter of having a willing and loving partner. The submissive leaned on a tree, surrounding the rough trunk with his arms and offered himself to his master. He had nothing, his body and his heart was all he had to offer and those had already been claimed by Jacob. Unwilling to hurt his slave the master used his tongue and fingers to prepare him. Seth writhed under his master's touch; lost to everything but his master's fingers which were driving him crazy to the point of begging. His moans were loud and wild, he was letting go of so many years of constraint. Seth couldn't see his master's face but he knew how he looked, his body shimmering with a thin layer of sweat, hair stuck to his forehead and a satisfied smirk on his handsome face.

Jacob was driving him wild, the master's length in his tight channel was something he never thought he would enjoy, but he was. The alpha could get a little rough but one touch from Seth or a tiny whimper was enough to tame the beast. The moans and grunts coming from the two lovers were getting louder, their breathing quicker and irregular. Seth arched his back as much as he could to allow his master to penetrate him even deeper. Soon enough the slave turned into a moaning mess as white splashed the floor beneath him. The sub came hard mumbling his master's name and some unintelligible words that Jake would've loved to be able to understand. Propelled by the submissive's tightening around his member and his moans of pleasure, Jacob's body tensed in the most delicious way as he filled his slave with his load. The sub's legs gave under him; the intensity of his release was making him very dizzy. Jacob slumped on the moist floor, like his slave, he could barely stand. The master pulled his submissive to his lap and covered his face with tender kisses. They smiled at each other; they didn't need words, their spirits were connected, telling each other what the men were too afraid to muster. Seth ran the tip of one finger over his master's lips; he needed to touch every part of him. It was the only way he could be certain that this was not a dream.

As days passed they got closer, to them one day was like one hundred days, the quality of their commitment making up for the lost time. Their love-making sessions were something to write poems about. As their bodies connected they became one body and one spirit. A relationship that began in the worst possible way was quickly changing. They shared a new level of mutual acceptance and trust. The master and his slave nurtured each other like a mother cares for her child. Seth was feeling better about himself; his thoughts were not inundated with images of past abusers and pain. Instead he saw himself on a different light, and he liked what he saw. His love was unconditional and that allowed him to forgive and forget. The submissive's love for his master was sincere and so profound that it could waver but would never disappear. Until then Seth had been loyal to his master like no other, but that would change, from then on he was not only loyal but devoted to him. Jacob was experiencing intimacy for the first time ever. He felt free to reveal his true self to his puppy. Seth was able to take a peek into his master's true self and he loved it, warts and all. The alpha was opening up but that meant he was becoming vulnerable and that scared him. Both men were entering an emotional minefield, one that could be set to destroy with only one wrong step.

Jacob was lying face down on the grass, his face resting over a bundle of his own clothes. With the sun's unforgiving rays caressing his back every scar became visible to Seth. He felt compassion for his master, he didn't care that Jake didn't really deserve compassion, being able to care for this tortured man made the slave a better person. The slave sat next to his master and gently ran the pads of his fingers over the thin lines on his master's back. The touch made the master moan in satisfaction but that was short lived. The instant he realized what Seth was doing he sprung up and sat looking at his submissive with wide eyes. "Stop doing that!" he screamed to the top of his lungs.

Seth recoiled but stood his ground, he couldn't live afraid of the man he loved. An awkward silence came over the two men, Jacob was ashamed of yelling at his sub and Seth was troubled by Jacob's reaction. "They are only scars Jake."

"They are more than that and don't ever bring up the subject again." Jacob's words were covered with a shroud of barely disguised rage.

"Baby you have to make peace with the marks on your skin. Yes, then can be a reminder of a past horror but you cannot live carrying that burden, nobody can." Seth got close to his master and ran his fingers through his hair comforting him. It killed him to see Jake suffer; he cared too much to allow that.

"Seth you don't understand…" The alpha's words trailed off. He was playing a horror movie in his head, one with him as the main character. He understood that it was nothing when compared with Seth's past, but it had been the worst thing to ever happen to him.

"Jake look at me, do you honestly think I don't understand what it means to bear a mark on your skin that reminds you of how cruel somebody was or how weak you are?" Seth took Jacob's fingers and guided them over the raised scars on the left side of his chest. He traced the letters J B that months ago Jacob sadistically burned onto his skin. Jacob's breath got stuck in his throat and his eyes became inundated with tears he refused to spill. "Until I forgave you for this I couldn't begin to care for you the way I do. Please baby you need to make peace with all the demons that torture you, you have to take away their power and the only way to do it is by forgiving."

"Seth you're an angel, it's impossible to grasp how you have been able to forgive me. If I was in your place I would've never forgiven me. I know I will never forgive the bastards that did this to me. Not for me, now I couldn't care less. But these lines on my back are a constant reminder of the most abhorrent act I ever committed. I was so weak baby, so weak and that cost my mom her life." Jake's last few words were barely understandable and afterwards he couldn't speak any more; his voice was drowned by a constant stream of sobs. He held onto Seth to remain anchored to this Earth. The submissive not only held him but cried with him, he shared his pain.

An undetermined amount of time passed, Seth cradled his master's torso on his arms while Jake cried with his face buried on the submissive's chest. Seth sympathized with his master but didn't pity him; it would be degrading to do so. Jacob was lost in his self-destructive thoughts, how many times he had considered ending his existence, if only to destroy once and for all the burden he had been carrying for so many years? In a way he was happy he never did. If he had been successful he would've died without knowing the power and beauty of true love.

"I won't ask you now but I want you to know that when you are ready to talk about what happened to you mom I'll be here to listen. My only guess is that it's something so horrific that you decided to bury it deep within yourself and it has been eating you alive for far too long. The thing is that experiences like the one you lived cannot be hidden. It will be like an unsupervised pressure cooker that when you least expect it just explodes." Seth's words barely registered with the alpha, he knew that he could trust his slave with his life. The one he didn't trust was himself, he was no better than the men that tormented him. He was probably worse than all of them put together, mostly because he had allowed the events of that fateful day to change him into a demon that would consume every soul in its path.

"I know baby, one day I will tell you." Whispered Jacob.

That night they made love slowly and tenderly, the way it's supposed to be. Seth made a point to make his master feel loved. For once Jacob allowed the submissive to lead, he submitted to everything the slave wanted. The alpha basically just lied on his back and the slave did everything else. Jacob held Seth's waist as the slave rode him to oblivion. That night Jacob's nightmares returned, but unlike other occasions the slave chased the bad dreams away with his loving words and his caresses.

The next morning passed in a similar way as the previous days, the only difference was that Seth woke up with a daunting feeling he couldn't shake off. He didn't say anything to Jacob, his master had a very rough night and the last thing the submissive wanted was to add to his master's uneasiness. He took it upon himself to help the alpha have the best day in paradise. They hunted together, after eating their breakfast they sat under a big tree to protect themselves from the punishing rays of the summer sun. Jacob was particularly quiet and the submissive was giving him his space, the alpha needed to deal with everything on his own terms. "Babe stay here, it's Thursday, I need to talk to dad, you know how he worries." Seth nodded before moving so Jacob could stand up. He observed his master's shift in rapt fascination, it only took a few seconds but every time he saw it he was more in awe. The raw power of Jacob's wolf was unbelievable, no wonder so many wolves envied him. The alpha took longer than in other occasions, Seth was worried that there could be something bad going on.

After phasing back Seth could read the apprehension on his master's face. He looked utterly despondent. The submissive swiftly stood up and ran towards his master, meeting him halfway. Jacob enveloped the small wolf with his arms in an embrace so tight it could easily interfere with the sub's breathing. "Seth, we have to go back, we leave tomorrow at dawn."

The submissive took a step back and studied his master's eyes looking for any sign of humor but found none. He held on to the hope that he was joking, it would be a cruel joke but he would forgive him as long as he got to spend a few more days at the falls. "Jake why do we have to leave? Is everything ok?"

"Yes, everything it's fine at the house. There have been some disturbances along the border. The west keeps pushing through trying to breach our defenses. They will not succeed of course but they are becoming quite a nuisance. Dad wants me back because he thinks it's too risky for us to be here all by ourselves, also the harvest will start soon and he needs me there." Jacob felt that an explanation was in order; he could see the changes in his submissive, the slight tremor of his lower lip, the flared nostrils and the rapidly beating heart. His distress was painful to watch.

Seth walked away from his master like he was in autopilot. He knew this time would come, they couldn't stay there forever, but he hoped they could. He dared to hope and like it always happened fate laughed in his face. The submissive sat at the edge of the pool with his legs inside the water. He had been given a gift and should be grateful; he was reminded of how it felt to be free. To not be looking over your shoulder to see who was coming after him, in fear of what that person might do. To speak freely and without having to monitor every single word that came out of his mouth. But more than anything he was reminded of how it felt to be a human. For almost three weeks he was Seth Black, not dog or slave. His dignity was handed back to him but unfortunately the second they step back in the house somebody will tear away that most important part of him.

Jacob felt helpless and inadequate to ease his submissive's pain. His only hope was that Seth would obtain his freedom. Not knowing what to say or what to do he sat beside the slave and rubbed circles on his back. He didn't want to leave either; in no other place they would feel so free to love each other. Even if Seth got his freedom, their relationship will be frowned upon. In the eyes of more than one wolf it would be disgraceful that the son of the Aleph ended up with a submissive. He could give shit about it, he was never one to try to please people and why should he start doing it now? The master chuckled internally thinking that whoever had something to say about his love life should be prepared to say it to his face and then run for his life.

"Jake, please… leave me here. Tell them I died, that I tried to escape and you had to eliminate me. If you don't want to look bad to your dad tell him some rogues got me and when you found me the decent thing to do was end my suffering." Seth cried and his voice broke. "Please I'm begging you don't take me back." His voice rose to a scream as he desperately pleaded to his master.

Seth crumbled like a house of sand during a storm. Jacob held the man he loved feeling like he was dying inside with every tear his submissive spilled. He debated whether or not to tell the slave about his plans to grant him his freedom but decided against it. If by a cruel twist of destiny he couldn't fulfill his promise the slave would not only hate him but be heartbroken. He would've had a taste of freedom for the second time but with disastrous results. It would be cruel to crush his spirit in such a way.

Jacob swallowed with difficulty the lump that had formed in his throat before speaking. "Baby I can't leave you here, you would be completely unprotected and any dominant could find you. Remember the wolves that chased us from the beach, the rogues?" Seth nodded. "If you managed to survive and not be attacked by any dominant you could turn into one of those beasts. We're pack creatures, the pack not only provides us with protection and company, it keeps our wolves under control. When the wolf makes us succumb to our primal urges we get in serious trouble." Seth placed all his trust in his master, if he didn't believe the man he loved, who could he believe?

"I understand master; I'll go back with you." No other words were exchanged between them. The moment was so intense and so painful that simple words were inadequate. Jacob sat next to his submissive not even daring to hold his hand. He didn't deserve to do it, if he couldn't protect him from this pain who says he could protect him from other dominants?

The clouds moved in the sky and the sun changed position in the blue expanse as minutes turned into hours. Still Seth didn't move from his spot by the water and neither did his master. It was like they were paralyzed by a devastating feeling of hopelessness. Each one of them was lost in their thoughts even engaging in daydreaming to escape their reality for a few minutes. In a perfect fantasy world they would be free to love each other without any limitations. They could be spontaneous and unpredictable. Their nights would be filled with the intensity of two lovers hungry for each other. It was a beautiful dream but a dream indeed. The reality of their existence stated that tomorrow they would go back to being master and slave.

"Seth." Jacob tried to get the submissive's attention. After a few tries the slave turned his head to look at his master through red rimmed eyes. "We should get something to eat; sundown will be in about an hour."

"I'm not hungry master; you go, I'll wait here." Jacob didn't fail to notice how Seth had reversed to calling him master. He wouldn't hold it against him, in his submissive's mental state it must've been very confusing to sort out the roles. What the master insisted and wouldn't relent was on making Seth promise that he would not do anything stupid. Seth stayed behind while Jacob hunted. The alpha killed the first animal that came into sight; he needed to get back to his puppy as soon as possible.

Upon his return Jacob searched for Seth's form panicking for a moment when he couldn't see him. The only difference was that unlike past occasions he knew his puppy was still around, he trusted him not to leave him. After searching for a few minutes the master found Seth in a shallow fast moving area of the falls. He could comfortably sit on the rocks while the water swooshed around him. After taking inventory of Seth's movements Jacob cursed his life and wished he would've done many things differently. The submissive was sitting in the water shaving his head, something he had not done for almost three weeks. He had accepted his fate, resigned to his fucked up life, he complied with his master's rules.

Jacob approached him slowly; all he wanted to do was run in the opposite direction so he wouldn't have to face the evil he created. He stood by the edge of the water and observed as the slave methodically shaved all the fuzz from his head. Noticing his master's presence Seth turned towards him. The submissive face was the picture of desolation and sorrow. It was contorted in pain, not physical pain, but the worse kind of hurt, his spirit was dying slowly. The master walked inside the water and sat behind his sub with each of his long legs wrapped around the young wolf. Taking the blade from Seth's hand he proceeded to slowly and carefully shave his head.

Seth relaxed under the care of his master, regardless of the circumstances of one thing he was certain, Jacob would never hurt him again. He was afraid he would lose his temper at one point or the other but trusted him enough to know he wouldn't abuse him. The submissive heard his master take a shaky breath and turned on his spot to face him. The alpha's feelings were pouring out from within, staining his cheeks. Seth tried to blink away the emotion that was blurring his vision without much success. "Aren't we the biggest pair of idiots? This will not be for much longer my Seth. I promise you that I'll do everything in my power to end your days as a slave. I honestly believe that one day you'll be free and you'll get to take the reins of your life. Do you trust me?"

"Yes I do trust you."

"Good, then stop crying."

"I can't master, it's just too overwhelming. You see it… hurts to be a slave again, it hurts badly." Seth's words came out strained and with a hint of desperation. Jacob felt the all familiar tightness in his chest as his spirit was making it constrict painfully. The alpha saw how he had messed up once again; he gave the slave a taste of freedom and then took it away. His selfish acts knew no end. To add insult to injury he expected the submissive to remain calm and quiet like a well-trained _slave_. Jacob asked himself if he would be able to ever see Seth in a different light.

"I'm done." Jacob let out a breath after finishing the daunting task. It was the least he could do, he was the one responsible. Seth ran his hand over his bald head and sighed deeply resigned to re-taking his duties as slave.

"Master…" Jake didn't let him continue by gently placing one of his fingers over the slave's lips.

"It's Jacob." The master's voice was soft and filled with kindness.

"After tomorrow I'll have to go back to calling you master, I might as well start now." Explained Seth, he was making a conscious effort to not be bitter or sound angry.

"That will be only for a little while and when others are present. In our room we'll be just like we're here, but with better food." Seth smiled sadly; he didn't know whether or not to be hopeful. Life had a cruel and twisted way of flinging shit at him. He did like how Jacob called the room they shared _our room_. Looking back at how they acted when they began that trip he had to admit that the difference was like night and day. Maybe destiny wanted Jacob to see the submissive's home town and learn all the atrocities that took place on his last week there. He suspected that once they were back at the house his master would succumb to appearances and he would go back to the behaviors he was most famous for. The slave had learned to trust his dominant but in that instance he was very wary of what could happen.

"I brought you back some of those darn berries you like so much; I don't know how you can survive on that crap." Jacob's voice had a bit of humor in it; he was trying to lighten the mood. He stood up and helped Seth stand up as well, after so long sitting down one of the slave's legs was asleep and he was limping. The master noticed and picked him up bridal style. Seth didn't present any resistance and Jake walked out of the water carrying his submissive.

"They are yummy, you should try them Jake. Actually they are kind of a treat; I never get to eat fruit." Seth felt peaceful on his master's arms; he rested his head against his master while they talked. Jacob on the other hand felt increasingly troubled with each one of the slave's revelations. Every time the slave revealed another chapter of his hellish life Jacob felt like somebody jabbed a hot dagger directly into his heart.

"Seth I bet you have a million doubts in your mind. You have no idea how many things will change. I won't tell you, but the changes will greatly benefit you." Jacob was filled with good intentions; he just prayed that the rest of the world would agree with him. Change would still happen but he might need to get creative in his efforts.

Jacob gently placed the submissive on the soft grass under the shadow of the tree that until then had been the roof over their heads, providing shade during the day and protection from the rain. After Seth ate everything his master brought back to him they decided to turn in, knowing that they would have to be in their way early the next morning. That night they didn't make love, they enjoyed the simple pleasure of each other's company. They paid close attention to the nighttime sounds; they wanted to memorize their personal paradise. The two lovers said goodnight to all the night creatures that had been their company in their many love filled nights. They bid farewell to the stars, the moon and to their waterfall. That area would always hold a special place in their hearts. In that spot in the middle of nowhere and with a magnificent waterfall as their only witness, the master and the slave had fallen in love.

The next morning they left at sunup, if they made haste they would arrive at the manor by sundown. No sense in stalling the inevitable, neither one of them wanted to return but it was a necessary evil. As soon as the two lovers entered the Black property Jacob went to dominant alpha mode and Seth walked several steps behind him like it was expected of a slave. While still in the woods but close enough that they could see the house the master told the submissive to phase. Seth pulled two pairs of pants from their bag and after handing his master one pair he donned his own. Jacob could sense the nerves and apprehension that ran through the slave's veins.

Seth pulled out from the bag the one item he was dreading the most, his collar. Jacob took it from him and with shame and anger seeping out of him placed it on the submissive's neck and locked it with his key, which in turn he placed around his neck. "Seth you know we have to keep appearances, do not, I repeat do not pay attention to anything I say that could sound hurtful or insulting. Pretend I'm an actor and I'm just playing a part. You know better than anyone what's really in my heart, and that, my sweet puppy, is you." Jacob's words put the submissive at ease; he knew that soon enough he would face other dominants that would act very much like his master had in the past. At least he had one less enemy; the man who had hurt him so much in the past was becoming his biggest ally. What remained to be seen was if he would be able to remain true to his heart.

"Hey look who's back!" Exclaimed Harry from his spot by the door. He took a few steps inside and the two men could hear him talking to another wolf. "Get Billy; tell him that Jake is home."

"Man, you look good, that vacation really did you a world of good, now you only look like half an asshole." Joked the wolf before he bumped fists with Jake.

Billy came out of the house and encased his son in a tight embrace. Seth could see how much Billy loved his master and felt a slight twinge of jealousy. He was happy for his dominant, but wished that even if it was only once, that his father would've looked at him how the Aleph was looking at his son. "Jake I missed you; never leave for so long ever again. This has been the longest we've been apart since you were born. But it was well worth it, you're practically glowing." The slave could see the blush that covered his master's face. Seth wanted to believe that he had something to do with his master's appearance. He hoped he was not having any type of grandiose delusions.

Father and son walked inside the house leaving Seth standing by the door. The slave was going to follow them when he felt a very hot hand grabbing his bicep. "What the fuck is this? Why is it that nobody told me there was entertainment in this house?" Harry tried to talk but was left speechless when he saw the wolf spin Seth around and kiss him sloppily. The submissive was taken by surprise but soon enough he was fighting to escape the wolf's hold. It was all futile since the damn person holding him seemed to be made of rock and had an iron grip on the slave. The slave wouldn't give up, he kept pushing the wolf away from him while trying to look around to see if anybody would come to his aid. He was out of luck since the few men present just snickered and made lewd comments. The wolf that by then Seth knew was named Eric grabbed Seth's crotch almost painfully which gave the submissive an idea. Since his hands were already pinned against Eric's body the submissive closed one hand into a fist and hit the bigger male as hard as he could. That did the trick since Eric let go of the slave before trying to soothe his crushed nuts.

"This mother fucker hit me!" The minute Seth saw the man raise his arm high in the air, he knew what was coming. The slave was not looking forward to the pain, it had been months since the last time anybody hit him. He had not even set foot inside the house and he was already being attacked. What made matters worse was that his master hadn't even cared to look back before disappearing inside the house.

"What's going on here?!" Screamed Jacob, pure rage dripping from every word. The alpha grinded his teeth as raw hatred for the stranger who was attempting to hit the submissive flowed through him. He was sure Seth was following him when he walked inside the house but after realizing he was nowhere to be seen walked back outside to look for him. He looked from the unknown wolf to his slave; he could see the fear in the submissive's eyes when their gaze connected from an instant.

"This mutt hit me." Hissed Eric while pointing at Seth with one hand and holding his crotch with the other.

"I don't know who the fuck you are and I don't care. But I know who he is and there is no way in hell this dog hit you. So shut up and stop whining. And you.." The alpha was pointing at Harry who suddenly had lost the color in his face. "Why didn't you tell this bastard that Seth is off limits? Did you forget so quickly? If you did I'll be more than happy to remind you." Jacob's expression was dark and hostile; he was making a monumental effort to play it cool since he didn't want to expose their relationship. Eric's face was painted with anger and disbelief. This was not the same Jacob Black that would leave a submissive black and blue for the simple reason of lifting his eyes to look at him.

"And you stop being a fucking whore and get out of here!" It hurt Jacob to speak in such a way to his submissive but he knew it was necessary. For many reasons the best way to protect Seth was to keep the charade going. Not only the greedy bastards from the council would be very tempted to remove Seth from his service and re-sell him for a profit but if his enemies learned how important Seth was to the alpha they could hurt him just to get to Jake. The submissive remembered his master's words and tried not to pay attention to his insults, it still hurt. Seth scurried past his master and ran in the direction of their room.

"Dad I need to talk to you, you have time?" Jake was hurting, he was risking his own happiness by giving Seth his freedom, but if he had learned something about himself in the past weeks was that his happiness was secondary to Seth's joy.

"For you I always have time, but can't this wait? You must be tired and hungry."

"It can't wait dad, it's important." They walked together and entered Billy's office. Jacob was nervous and the Aleph could sense there was something troubling him.

"Dad I'll cut to the chase, I'm ready to sign Seth's freedom papers now. I was very selfish before and it's time I right that wrong." He knew he was doing the right thing but the possibility of Seth leaving left him cold. The idea of living without his pup sliced through him like a sharp knife.

"Son hearing you make that decision makes my heart soar, you are trying to do the right thing for another person and the fact that the person is a slave makes it even more meaningful and special. I'm really curious about what caused this change in attitude but that's a conversation for another time. I've told you this before and hopefully today you'll understand. Every action has a consequence; if you would've acceded to sign his liberation months ago he would've been free a long time ago. Now it's impossible." Jacob blanched; disbelief etched in his features. He shook his head from side to side trying to wrap his mind around his father's last statement. His hands gripped the hem of his shorts as if he didn't do that he would start throwing punches left and right.

"What do you mean impossible? Just give me the damn paper and I'll sign it!" Jacob was frustrated and disheartened. Once again his mistake was affecting somebody important to him. He questioned himself if he was a jinx to all who cared about him. He couldn't help falling for the submissive, he knew in his head he shouldn't even attempt it but his stupid heart had a mind of its own. How was he going to tell Seth that he would remain a slave longer than they both expected?

"We don't have that power anymore, the council sent out a decree a little after you left. I didn't bother to mention anything since you made it very clear you didn't want to part ways with the slave. It clearly states that a slave cannot be granted his freedom under any circumstance. There is an excep…" Billy couldn't finish the thought; an irate Jacob lost all semblance of calm and lashed out at his father. He was so fed up and tired with the whole system. What made matters worse was that his father seemed too eager to be in good terms with the council.

"This really bites! You know what? The council can go fuck themselves! Last time I checked you were the fucking Aleph. I know you're not a politician but sometimes I question your loyalty." Jacob violently pushed backwards the chair he had been sitting on and stormed off towards the door.

Jacob turned on his heels to look at Billy. "Father I have a question, if I would've phased into a submissive, do you think you could sit back and let them torture me to make me into a slave?" In his own way Jacob was projecting his torment to his father. Jacob had many things to be ashamed off but very few as life changing and devastating as the cruel choice that would affect Seth for the rest of his life.

"Of course not, I would've fought for you with all my strength." Billy tried to remain calm, he was not as angry as he was confused by his son's attitude.

"Then stay out of my way while I do the same for Seth."


	21. Chapter 21

**Thank you to all the readers that are still with me. Thanks to the reviewers, the ones who favorite and alert the story. Please believe me when I tell you that you are the motor that keeps this story alive. **

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight. **

**Chapter 21**

Jacob left his father's office with the force of a tornado. He couldn't believe the villainy of the council. How much more they needed to take away from the unfortunate men whose only sin had been being born with the wrong genetic makeup? For years he had ignored the many decrees that added another nail in the submissives coffin. After all he had nothing to worry about; to him a slave was nothing, not even the crap a dog leaves behind.

He wanted to go check on Seth but knew he was in no shape to do so. His anger was so intense and all-consuming that he could feel his alpha wolf creeping to the surface through his barely restrained fury. The master reached the hallway in the second floor where his room was located and immediately detected his submissive tantalizing aroma. Jacob paced back and forth with hurried stomping steps on the brightly lit hallway. He needed to calm down before facing Seth, he couldn't risk losing control.

At least he had decided the day before not to tell the slave about the possibility of being free by nightfall. The day was definitely not going as he planned. He imagined himself running to his room with Seth's freedom document in hand. He would present it to his puppy who he dreamed would jump to his arms and cry openly. The alpha could picture the submissive's youthful face as he read the letter so many times the ink could fade. He would then offer an escort and safe passage to South America so Seth could look for Leah. The master hoped that the submissive would come back but he was not going to hold his breath. That thought made the tears prick at the corners of his eyes but he didn't allow any tears to fall. The real problem was way more devastating than his imaginary ones. He needed to find a way to protect Seth from the other dominants and help him escape slavery.

After pacing back and forth from over an hour he felt calm enough to face his sub. Jacob made his way to his room; each door that he passed was a step closer to facing his own incompetence. In his arrogance he was convinced that he could grant Seth his freedom. The sub had pleaded, cried and begged but the master was too full of himself to pay any attention. They were alone; no witnesses meant that Seth's ideas wouldn't have been debated. If only he would've listened, he could've taken the slave to one of the safe houses along the way. He would've asked Quil or Edward since he had no idea where they were located, but he was certain they would provide all the necessary information. Once there he would pay whatever was necessary to guarantee Seth's escape to one of the few areas in which slavery had been abolished. He thought it was more than a coincidence that one of those places was located in South America and wondered if Leah had anything to do with it. But he messed up again; he had a real talent to hurt those he loved.

Jacob took a deep breath before placing his hand on the doorknob and turning it. He would need a lot of strength to keep his composure. The room smelled clean and was bathed in combinations of orange, red and grey. The master looked around the room unable to locate his sub, that was until he decided not to depend on his sight and scented him. His heart was filled with even more pain and distress when he caught the submissive's small form. Seth was in full slave mode, kneeling behind the dining table next to his chain. The master could smell the sub's tears. He had warned the slave about not paying attention to his words but guessed that was easier said than done.

"Damn it Seth, don't do that! Stand up!" Exclaimed Jacob, his exasperated tone making him seem angry. He couldn't be annoyed with the sub for behaving like a perfectly trained slave. That would be like penalizing a bird for singing. In two long strides he was in front of the submissive and grabbing one of his arms pulled him up until he stood up on his own two feet. Seth's shaking hands didn't escape his attention and he cursed himself for being so rough.

"Baby look at me, why are you like this?" Asked Jacob while he cradled the submissive's face between his beefy hands.

"Master that wolf kissed me and I hit him. I accept my punishment and understand the reason for it." Each one of Seth's pain filled words was accompanied by a double meaning. He didn't intend to anger his master any further, quite the contrary. His total acceptance of Jacob's judgment was based on trust and the need to please his master.

"You did hit him?" Seth nodded without lifting his eyes to meet his master's.

A sexy smirk appeared on the dominant's face, it was a shame that Seth couldn't see it. "Good boy"

Seth's frown deepened and his eyebrows furrowed. He was very confused. Did his master just congratulate him for hitting a dominant? What kind of upside down dream was he having? "Hey no frowning, as cute as you look with that perplexed look on your face I prefer to see you smiling. And what did I say about denying me your eyes?"

"Master you're ok with what I did?" Seth's small voice barely registered in the dominants hearing.

"More than ok puppy; just don't overdo it; I really don't feel like dismembering any of these idiots for hurting you. I've seen you run, you're fast, if that happens again wiggle yourself free if you can and run to find me. If you cannot run scream, I know they could hit you if you do that but trust me that would be nothing compared to what I'll do to them. I'll deal with any disorderly conduct."

"But master that's the thing; it's not disorderly at all. Any dominant is in their right to use me any way they see fit." Jacob couldn't bear the thought of his sweet puppy being brutally mounted by any of those beasts. The master knew he had done much worse since the submissive arrived, the only difference was that Jake regretted each and every time he hurt the slave. He would dedicate his life to earn his forgiveness; lucky for him they lived very long lives because one lifetime wouldn't be enough for Seth to forgive him. But the slave was right; he was at the mercy of a pack of hyenas. There was very little he could do to help his situation, it was up to Jacob to provide the best set of circumstances for his pup.

"I know love, until we figure out ways to protect you I want you to stay in our room. I know you get bored here all the time and enjoy working in the kitchen. I have to talk to Ed about this and determine the logistics for the whole thing. Until then you must remain here with the door locked. I don't like that new wolf, Eric. He gives me a really bad vibe. Tomorrow I'll tell my dad I want him in my pack." The last bit of news surprised and intrigued Seth.

"Master if you don't trust him why do you want him in your pack?"

"You've never heard of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer? If he is in my pack I can impart alpha orders." Understanding lit up the submissive's face and warmed his heart. His master was willing to have a wolf in his pack that could cause trouble if that meant he could order him to stay away from him.

"Thank you master, I was afraid he would turn into another Felix or James." The mere mention of those names caused a bubbling rage filled rumble in the very pits of the dominant's spirit. He never asked Seth about the attack; the last thing he wanted was to make Seth relive the assault. Instead he asked Quil to tell him. The wolf showed Jacob the condition of Seth's body when he saw it after the first attack. At the time he didn't care much or refused to acknowledge that he did. If that happened in the present time he would've torn those miserable sons of bitches limb by limb.

"Don't even think of those two, they cannot hurt you now." Jacob bent forward to capture Seth's lips with his own, the submissive placed his arms around his master and lingered as long as he could on his master's lips.

"Mmmmm puppy you smell so good; you showered and everything." Jacob nuzzled the submissive's cheek with his nose and left a trail of kisses starting on his ear and going down towards his chin. "If I weren't so fucking hungry I would take you to bed right now. I'm missing your warmth, I got very spoiled and now reality really sucks."

"I know how you like your slaves and it's my duty to please you." The submissive's choice of words didn't go over too well with the dominant. He was hurt, it was easy to understand why Seth felt the way he did but that didn't make it hurt any less. He wanted Seth to like him for who he was, not because he had an obligation to fulfill. The slave was so attuned to his master that just by the subtle changes in his breathing and pulse he knew something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on what it was but it still affected him.

"Seth, I know it's really hard being back here and not falling into our old routines. We'll both try to make it work. You'll do your part, stop calling me master while in our room and please trust me. I'll keep you safe and take really good care of you. Do we have a deal?" Seth nodded enthusiastically before kissing his master. Jacob had to peel himself away from his sub, he was two heartbeats away from taking the slave to his bed and making him his. "Now wait for me, I'll take a quick shower and we'll go find something to eat."

Once they got to the kitchen Seth was greeted by a smiling Edward who didn't even turn to look in Jake's direction. "Seth! Good to have you back, man." Edward gave the submissive a warm hug; he had mixed feelings about the slave's return. He was happy that Jacob had a shred of decency and didn't kill the sub. On the other hand a part of him hoped that Seth would've have been able to escape Jacob's clutches.

Seth never expected such an outpour of affection to come from Ed; as far as he knew his friend was never one to express affection. What the submissive couldn't see was Ed glaring at Jacob, his head towering over the slave's. Jacob tried to remain impassive, plastering his best poker face on. The slave tried to take a step back and separate himself from the cook but that only made Ed hug him tighter. Seth felt Edward's soft lips as he kissed his bald head affectionately.

Jacob couldn't stand it any longer and a deep growl showed the three men in the room that the alpha's patience was running very thin. He stalked towards the pair of friends and pulled Seth away from Edward's hold, he tried to make it seem like he was being rough when in fact he was barely exerting pressure on the sub's forearm. "Enough with the happy reunion, we're here to get food, not to socialize. Is there anything to eat here?" Asked Jacob, his voice a combination of a hiss and a snarl.

"Yes, there are some leftovers in the refrigerator." Edward's contempt towards Jacob was almost visible. The way he talked to him was irreverent and arrogant. He couldn't care less that Jacob was the son of the Aleph; Edward had no respect for someone who abused those weaker than himself.

Seth knew his way around the kitchen and brought out of one of the side by side refrigerators several containers with food and began warming everything up. "Master do you wish to eat it here or in your room?"

"The room, and hurry up mutt, no need to remain here longer than necessary. It kind of reeks of loser here."

"Wow Jake, great to see that a nice vacation had absolutely no effect on you. You have been, are and always will be a bastard. And newsflash, the only loser in this room is you."

"Ed, do me a favor, eat shit and die."

"Likewise, asswipe."

"You do realize than the more you anger me the harder I'll pound him right." Ed was left speechless; he was flabbergasted by Jacob's statement. How crude could the alpha be was beyond words. It didn't surprise Ed that he would say such a thing, actually he'd heard him say worse. What did surprise him was that he would admit to his atrocities. He was so concerned with the impression his father had of him that he tried to hide his actions the best he could.

"And before I forget, I don't want you in my room again. You or whoever brings the breakfast must leave it outside on the table by the door." Edward looked at Jacob with a vacant look in his eyes; he didn't know what to think of the alpha's request. What was he planning for the submissive that couldn't be seen? Besides killing him, there was not much more he could do to the sub. At least Ed was almost certain that Jake was not planning to kill the submissive, but that meant squat. Edward's perception of Jake was that he was an attention whore and would do anything to intimidate those around him. He was a person with no leadership, competence or courage whose only way to lead was by using fear as a weapon. Of course that was only one man's opinion; there were countless others who would attest to the alpha's bravery in battle and leadership skills, as with everything it depended on who you asked. Unfortunately at the end of the day, if death came to the slave, it would be more merciful than to continue living under Jacob's roof.

During the dominant's exchange Seth had been able to arrange the plate and utensils on a tray to bring to the room. He picked up the tray and stood to the side waiting for his master. "That took you long enough, let's go. Can't wait to have you in all fours on my bed, slut, when you're biting the pillow to muffle your screams remember to thank your pal Eddie."

Jacob was about to exit the kitchen when Edward called his attention. The cook was shocked, his face and body tense, his hands shaking in frustration. "Wait, what time is Seth coming to the kitchen tomorrow?" Ed did what he could to make Jake accountable for his actions. Maybe if the alpha knew Seth had to be in the kitchen where Billy would see him he would take it easy on the little guy.

"By ten o'clock, his first responsibility is to me and I got seriously spoiled by having him at my complete mercy twenty four seven. Actually I was thinking about ending his kitchen duties."

"Jacob you gave me your word, or did you forget?" Asked Edward, the words struggling to come out through his clenched teeth.

"I didn't forget, I chose to ignore you. Come Seth." Jacob motioned for Seth to follow him, leaving the cook in the kitchen fuming.

The master and his slave walked quietly to their room, Jacob holding the door open for Seth to walk through. The submissive didn't know what to make of the dominants conversation. He had no clue where the truth ended and the deceit began. The slave noticed as his master locked the door, something he had never done before. He wanted to ask the reason for this but decided against it. If his master was grumpy on a full stomach when he was hungry he would turn into an evil fiend.

The submissive set the table and stood by his chain waiting for his master to sit. After the dominant sat down Seth walked towards him with his small bowl in hand. Jacob turned to look at him, the bowl seeming minuscule to the alpha. As it always happened a new wave of shame was unleashed on the wolf as he recalled all the times the slave had gone to bed hungry. "Seth, that bowl is tiny. Tomorrow sneak out of the kitchen a bigger bowl. You know what? Sit next to me, we're going to share. Jacob slid his chair to the left, pulled a chair and placed it to his right.

Seth hesitated but all it took was one stern look from his master to help him decide that sitting was the wisest choice he could make. Jacob pushed the plate towards the sub and gave him a spoon seeing that there was only one fork. He didn't mind if Seth shared his fork, he was just too hungry to take turns using the utensil. The master began eating but after wolfing down three big bites he stopped to look at his submissive who was fidgeting with the spoon he held. "Why aren't you eating? I know you're hungry."

"The thing is that… I don't remember how to use this." He said lifting the spoon to his master's line of sight. "I'll wait until you're done and I'll eat what you leave on the plate."

"No way! You're not going to eat crumbs, come here." He said grabbing the spoon out of Seth's hands. Very gently he took the submissive small hand and positioned his fingers in a mock grip. With the fingers in position he rested the spoon on the slave's middle finger with the index finger and thumb keeping the handle steady. He covered the hand that held the spoon with his own and dug in the food in front of them.

Seth was embarrassed; it was not his fault but he still felt responsible and inadequate. He unsteadily dipped the spoon in the food and brought it to his mouth. His hands were shaking out of both embarrassment and nerves, as a result half the food fell back on the plate. "Master your food will get cold. I'm sorry I cannot remember how to eat using silverware. I promise I'll practice."

"You tried, that's all I ask. I'll drop it for now, but you need to try at least once every day. It's not hard; I know your body will remember. Now eat however you always do it." Again Seth froze in his position, there was no way in hell he would stick his fingers in Jacob's food. "Seth just looking at the food will not make it jump into your mouth. I've seen you eat, dig in, I don't mind." The submissive started picking up peas from the outside border of the plate and popping them in his mouth one at a time. At that pace he would finish sometime in the next decade.

"You know what? Screw this fork. Today we eat like you do; tomorrow we'll do it my way, deal?" Jacob dropped the utensil on the table with a light clinking sound. The slave was grinning widely. Not only his master understood how self-conscious he felt, he didn't make fun of him. The dominant took a piece of chicken and brought it to the submissive's lips to savor. He felt satisfied with himself for having given the slave some dignity back. It would take years before Seth was completely restored but he wouldn't rest until that happened. The mashed potatoes were a little more challenging, since Seth had more experience in that area he took over that part of their meal, using his fingers to spoon good amounts of food into his master's mouth. After each bite the dominant would lick the sub's fingers, enjoying each time the slave's breath would hitch as he struggled to keep his composure.

"Damn, I think we should eat like this every day." Seth couldn't look at his master's sexy smile; if he did he would straddle his master and have his wicked way with him. Who would have thought that sharing a meal could turn into foreplay?

In no time Seth's pants became very uncomfortable, the scent of his arousal reached his master who smirked knowingly. "I created a monster; didn't you have enough this afternoon?" Jake's question caused the submissive to blush furiously. The master said he had been coaxed into making love to the sub, but the slave knew the truth; his master had been more than a willing participant. Anyway he was sure that if he hadn't mentioned it his master would've seduced him anyway. The submissive just enjoyed taking charge of things and loved how empowered he felt.

"Don't blush; you didn't hear me complaining; well, maybe moaning a little." Jacob winked at his submissive, flirting shamelessly with him.

"Jake, can I ask you something?" The slave ate the last morsels and placed everything in the tray to bring it to the kitchen. He sat back down and clasped his hands on his lap, a clear sign that he was nervous.

"Sure babe, what's up?"

"What's going on between you and Ed?"

"Well, he hates my guts and I've given him plenty of reasons to do so. Ed doesn't approve of the way I treat the subs. He is an abolitionist, every sub I've had has been a link in his long chain of failures. He blames himself for not protecting them and even tried to free several. I caught him helping one run away and killed the slave in front of him. Actually I know he has been investigating how to ship you away from here. Seth, you're not trying to catch me off-guard and run away from me right?" Jacob arched one perfect eyebrow while looking at his submissive questioningly. Behind his tough façade he was terrified. He was worried that karma would catch up with him and he would end up bitter and lonely, not even having the solace that a submissive would provide. If he ever lost Seth he was certain he would never be able to care for another human being or even touch another sub.

"No way Jake, I know the beginning was really bad but these past weeks have been the best ones of my entire life." The slave boldly straddled his master's lap and placed his thin arms around his neck. They kissed chastely before pressing their foreheads together. In each other's arms they were able to let go of so many bad experiences and found peace.

"Leave the dishes here; I don't want you walking around the house by yourself. When I walk you to the kitchen tomorrow for your shift you can bring them."

"That means you're letting me work in the kitchen after all?" Seth was hopeful his master had a change of heart and would allow him to keep helping Edward. As much as he loved spending time with his master he knew the alpha had a lot of work to catch up with and he would end up spending his days alone. It was astounding how everything had been reversed, the slave used to hate every second he spent in his master's presence and with all the reason in the world. Jacob's cruelty knew no end and he was never shy with his punishments. Now he whimpered internally at the idea of spending any amount of time away from his master.

"Yes I am, I know you like it." Seth peppered his master's face with kisses, thanking him again and again. Jacob responded by giggling, delighted with his submissive's antics.

"I'm fucking tired let's go to bed." The slave climbed down from his master's lap and moved aside to let him walk past him. Jacob felt oddly satisfied for making his submissive happy. For a man that had spent his entire adult life caring for no one but himself this was a much needed change of attitude.

Walking back from the bathroom the master plopped down naked on his bed like he always did. It was summer, which was the worst time of the year for shifters, their high body temperature making them very uncomfortable. Jacob turned on his side only to find Seth spreading the blanket that served as his bed on the floor right next to his chain. Again the master felt that annoying bug gnawing his insides and making him suffer. Looking back he was repulsed with everything he had done to Seth. Exactly at the moment that thought was crossing his mind the submissive lifted his eyes and smiled sweetly at his master, almost like he knew his master needed comfort. Jacob was lost for words; there were countless things he wanted to say to the slave. How he regretted making him sleep on the cold floor and how ashamed he was of treating him like an animal were just two of the many things he wanted to tell Seth. At least he hoped they would have a long life together to give him a chance to gain his absolution and for Seth to get much deserved happiness.

"Seth, come to bed." The master saw the slave's face fall slightly as he stood up and made his way to the bed. Seth removed all his clothes and climbed on the bed lying at arm's reach from his master. His next action was another wound in his master's bleeding psyche. He turned on his stomach and positioned himself on all fours, his naked behind sticking up in the air. Jacob had seen him do this hundreds of times but that night it had a completely different meaning. It was a slap on the face, the deafening sound of a loud siren on the master's ears announcing to the world that the dominant was less than filth.

Jacob grabbed the slave by the waist and pulled him towards him, gently placing the sub with his back to the bed. "Puppy that's not what I called you to bed for, please believe me, I'll never take you against your will ever again." Seth's eyes shined with unshed tears. He felt relieved because his master had not reverted to his old ways. The instant Jacob called him to his bed, the submissive felt his world slightly crumble. If it had not been for the fact he trusted his master he would have been desolate.

"Then what am I doing here?" Asked the slave innocently.

"Duh, we're going to sleep. From now on you'll share my bed. It will be our bed, the same way this is our room." Seth followed with his eyes Jacob's index finger as it motioned to show him around the room they shared. Jake's smile was infectious, he was not only relieved, he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Apparently being evil was not second nature to him as many people, including him, thought. Seth on the other hand should've been ecstatic but he was anything but. It was too much too fast; his master was going from evil incarnate to an angel in only several weeks. Unless he was suffering from temporary insanity, which in any case should make Seth's life a living hell the instant the master snapped back to normal, it was not supposed to happen like this.

"Master, I'm scared."

"Of what puppy? And again stop it with the _master_ crap. I'm Jake; master is for when we are out there with those ignorant fools. This is not a whimsical place with a waterfall to lull us to sleep but that doesn't mean we cannot make it into our personal heaven."

"I am afraid that tomorrow or the next day you will come back to your senses and realize you have been shacking with a dog. You will be so disgusted that your only option will be disposing of me. I'm not afraid of dying, what scares me is the idea of you rejecting me one day. I'm so happy right now and call me selfish but I don't want to go back to the way things were."

"Love, I'll always regret being cruel to you. I actually came back to my senses the moment I realized that you are more important to me than my own life. You hold my heart in your hands; it will be your choice to crush it or cherish it. What you don't understand is that you healed me puppy, you took my broken spirit and brought it back to life." Jacob ran the pad of his thumb over Seth's high cheekbone while he looked intently into the submissive's eyes. He needed the slave to believe him; his words were true and sincere. The master observed the slave's pensive expression, his shoulders slightly hitched up and his lips in a tense thin line. Jacob understood the slave's concern; words were nothing but empty air if there were no actions to support them, but he knew that time would prove his words to be true.

The submissive remained silent, he didn't agree with his master's statement but wouldn't risk aggravating him. He was nothing special, just a man with shitty luck and an uncertain future. Lucky for him his master made a complete turnaround and with some luck he would be able to walk the Earth a little bit longer. There were no guarantees; the only certainty was that he was sharing the bed with his master without being abused. That alone was a point in his favor in the game of life.

"Jake, I want you to make love to me on our bed, please." Seth felt very self-conscious for begging to his master to do the one thing he had been trying to avoid since coming to Jacob's service. Actually this was entirely different so he was not going against his principles. He hated being fucked by Jacob, but loved being his in a loving tender way.

"You don't have to ask me twice and no begging is necessary either. The only begging allowed in this bed will be when you _demand_ more from me." Seth's eyes widened comically as he took in his master's words. Jacob loved shocking his sub and that occasion was not the exception. For a man who had done every single sex act known to man and a few that were made up by the wild imaginations of some dominants, the slave was very innocent.

"Don't play coy with me, if I'm a horn dog you're the king of the horn dogs." Both men laughed with delight at the alpha's latest statement. For the submissive it was easy to want something he enjoyed so much. It was second nature to him; he wanted sex and demanded it. No questions asked or explanations necessary.

The two lovers found each other's mouths as their hands explored each other's bodies. Every new experience they shared had a special significance to them. From the most innocent moments to the most heated and intimate ones. The room was filled with Jacob's moans of pleasure as the night's air enveloped them. Seth had been advised to keep his voice low; the last thing they needed was a bunch of overgrown dogs breaking into their room to take justice into their own hands and attempt to discipline the submissive. Not that Jacob would allow it, but it could prove to be more than they were willing to risk.

They were lost into each other's arms, the master and his submissive knew that was the place they needed to be. The submissive placed his legs on his master's shoulders, in this position he could see his master's eyes as his body became his. Jacob entered him slowly, giving him time to adjust after every inch he buried inside the slave. The slave would pull his lover towards him to crash their lips together and give himself a chance to moan against his master's mouth. The alpha thought he had never witnessed anything sexier that his submissive writhing in pleasure below him and muffling his moans with his mouth. The slave felt his body tensing in waves of pleasure, one wave not disappearing entirely before the next one started.

They reached their release one soon after the other; the sound of their shared ecstasy washing the walls of their room with its potent force. To avoid Seth's outcry of passion from being heard, Jacob's mouth captured the sub's and ravished it with a heady kiss that seemed to have no end. The master rolled to his side to avoid collapsing on top of Seth and putting too much weight on the much smaller man. As their bodies cooled they shared the closeness they had discovered. All doubts were chased away as Seth snuggled into his master's protective embrace. For the first time in his life he felt safe in the arms of a dominant.

The next morning Seth woke up with a start, sleep leaving him fast as he took in his surroundings. The day was already on its way and they had been wasting daylight. He jumped off the bed smiling as he turned to take in his master's sleeping form while feeling the well-known sensation on his body that reminded him of the previous night's activities. While showering he wondered if Edward did as asked and left their breakfast by the door. If he didn't, Seth would have to go get it. He would be disobeying his master by walking to the kitchen unaccompanied, but didn't want to tempt fate and not have Jacob's breakfast waiting for him when he woke up, which could prove much worse. He dressed hastily and walked out of the bathroom only to be faced with his master smiling at him from the table.

"Good morning babe, come, eat fast, we overslept." Like the creature of habit he was Seth grabbed his small bowl only to correct himself and put it back down when he heard Jacob's low growl. He walked to the table and stood next to his master waiting to be authorized to sit. "Please don't tell me you're waiting for me to give you permission to sit. Seth this is getting ridiculous, I understand you are not going to change from one day to the next but please pup you know what we talked about yesterday."

"I know mas.. I mean Jake." Seth sat next to Jacob and started nibbling on a piece of toast.

"Seth today I'll be out most of the day checking the crops with Sam and my dad." At the mere mention of Sam's name Seth's head shot up and his heart began beating faster.

The submissive placed his small hand on the master's arm to get his attention even though Jake hadn't missed his reaction. "Jake will you please find out if Embry is ok?"

Jacob fork splattered some food around the plate as he dropped it down in frustration. "Damn it! What do I fucking care if the stupid dog is alive or not?" Screamed Jacob, not caring who heard him. The slave flinched at the aggressive tone of his master. He felt like a cornered mouse not knowing what to do or what to say.

The dominant took a few deep calming breaths before speaking, they had not been up thirty minutes and he was already scaring the crap out of his little submissive. "Puppy I shouldn't have yelled, it's just very aggravating. I didn't miss your reaction and I want to be the only one to make your heart flutter. Seth, do you love him?" There was a tremendous amount of pain and fear behind Jacob's question. It was one of those occasions in which he would be dammed if he knew and dammed if he didn't.

"I'm not allowed to love; it's against the law for a slave to become attached to anyone." Seth's words had a much different ring to them than Jacob's. While the master's words were filled with fear, the submissive's words were filled with sadness. The slave wouldn't meet his master's eyes; he knew what he would see in them.

"Who gives a person the right to forbid another human being from loving? How arrogant are we?" Seth knew he needed to comfort his master and in return be comforted himself. He sat on his master's lap who immediately surrounded his slim body with his arms. The slave hid his face in the crook of his master's neck, inhaling his scent and feeling the strong pulse of his master's beating heart.

"Baby, do you love him like you love me?" Whispered Jacob in the submissive's ear. Seth moved his head from side to side in negation. "What's the difference?"

"He's like my brother, you're not." Seth's words were barely a whisper, his voice even softer than usual.

"And that's a good thing for me right?" The alpha was being crushed by the feelings that resided deep inside him. He hadn't been able to mutter the words, in a way he was as much of a slave as Seth was. The law forbade Seth from loving, Jacob forbade himself. The crazy thing was that no law and no amount of denial would be able to control something so grand. The same way nobody can cover the sun with one finger, a love like the one they shared couldn't be hidden.

"Yes it is, Jake." The submissive's lips found those of his master in a chaste kiss.

"Babe I'll find out what I can." The master couldn't bring himself to say the name of the man who made him insanely jealous. The dominant could kick himself and he should. In his blindness he had forced this man to have sex with his pup. Now the image of those two together in a bed, one buried deep inside the other man's body would haunt him forever.

By the time Jacob had gathered the reports he needed to give his father the submissive was already standing by the door waiting for him. They shared one last kiss before stepping out of their sanctuary and transforming into the master and the slave. The two lovers walked in silence, both feeling like they wanted to run back to their room and never come out.

Upon arriving to the kitchen Jacob was greeted by Alec and Collin who by their appearance one could assume they had just finished their patrols. The master made conversation with them mainly waiting for them to finish their breakfast and vacate the kitchen before he could be on his way. He needed to talk to Edward and with those two there he couldn't. Seth filled the sink with soapy water to soak the breakfast dishes all while feeling the lust filled looks the two wolves were giving him. Their gaze was so intense that it could've easily burned Seth's clothes off his back just so they could feast on his naked form. The submissive couldn't wait for the wolves to exit the kitchen; even Edward looked tense around them. To all the wolves in the house Ed was nothing but a bitter wolf with good cooking skills but a horrible attitude. The only people that saw his pleasant side were Quil and Seth. He respected Billy and Carlisle but didn't give a shit about Jake.

"Damn it I couldn't wait for those two to leave. Edward, I have a favor to ask from you." Said Jacob calmly, he was well aware that Ed would push his buttons but Seth was more important than his pride.

"Fuck off; I'm not doing you any favors." Snarled Edward.

"The favor is not for me, it's for Seth." This caught Ed's attention and he stopped what he was doing to listen to the alpha. "He will spend the day here; you need to stay with him at all times. If you need to leave the kitchen, no matter for what, you bring him with you. I don't care if you're just going to take a piss; Seth needs to be with you. I don't trust the new wolf, Eric, and Seth is afraid that he could be another Felix or James."

"Don't tell me that now you care if he gets raped. What is it; if he has been fucked he is not as tight as you like him to be?" The contempt he felt for the alpha, albeit mixed with pity, was obvious to everyone. He made not the least effort to conceal it.

"That's none of your business, will you keep him safe?" Answered Jacob curtly.

"Yes I will, but know that I do it for him. I wouldn't give a flying fuck if you fall dead right now."

Before Jake could think of a snappy comeback a storm entered the kitchen, for one so small she packed quite a punch. "SETH!" Exclaimed Sophia excitedly before launching herself towards Seth who picked her up and hugged her timidly.

"Don't worry it's just mommy and me, daddy is on patrol." Seth relaxed visibly, he knew Paul was like any other dominant, he thought Seth was subhuman and not worthy of even breathing the same air as his daughter.

"I missed you little girl." Seth's voice was like a mother's touch, soft and loving. Jake had only seen him interacting with Sophia once and that was under less than favorable circumstances. He was in awe at the tenderness and love they had for each other. The master observed the ease with which Seth engaged the little girl. He was firm and extremely loving, a perfect combination. It was obvious that Sophia adored the slave and Jacob knew the feeling was mutual.

"I missed you more; it's not fun when you're not here." The little girl pouted and gave her best representation of puppy eyes while clinging to Seth like she was afraid he would take off again. The submissive sat Sophia on the kitchen counter to take a better look at her. She seemed to have grown in the time he was away and she had even lost a tooth. The slave made a big deal when Emily told him how brave Sophia had been when they had to pull the tooth, this made her feel very proud and grown up. Seth laughed out loud when the little girl said that her daddy cried more than she did. She definitely had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

"What's the deal with this crazy hair of yours?" One of Sophia's braids became undone and several strands of hair were sticking out in all directions. Seth undid the braid completely and began threading it tightly.

"When did you learn to braid hair?" Asked Sophia fascinated with her friend's skills, she had never seen another man act the way Seth did. She never experienced the gender differences that ruled before the pandemic. But even by new world standards the submissive was much different from the other males.

"My sister had long hair and she taught me so I would do her hair. She was quite bossy." Seth's chortled but his voice carried a melancholic tone to it. "There you go, perfect."

"Thank you" Sophia moved her head from side to side like she was testing her new hairdo.

Jacob stood on his spot unable to move or utter any sound. His heart was at the same time filled with sadness and with joy. He fantasized that his puppy was not a slave, quite the contrary, that he was one of the lucky ones. Jacob smiled imagining his small submissive with a round belly, his shoulder length hair being blown by the soft breeze as they walked hand in hand. The alpha dreamt that Seth had chosen him as his mate and they had a beautiful little girl together. It was a wonderful and impossible dream.

"Baby girl, did you say hello to your uncle Jay?" Chastised Seth.

"Hello Jacob." She mumbled.

"Sophia we've talked about this; be nice to your uncle. Look I don't have any boo boos." The little girl observed Seth's face, neck and arms intently, taking in his appearance.

"That's right, Seth you look good, even put on a few pounds." Until that moment Emily had been quiet, standing aside while her daughter gave all her attention to the man she had grown to love. The poor girl had been so gloomy since Seth left with his master. The worst thing was that neither Emily nor Paul knew when the slave would be back or even if he would.

"Yeah eating raw has its benefits." Seth gave his master a furtive look. Jacob couldn't peel his eyes away from his sub, as brief as the look was he caught it. What neither man realized was that their behavior was giving them away, especially Jacob's. He was looking at the slave adoringly, his thoughts very far away from that kitchen. His mind was in the land of impossible dreams and secret desires.

"Jacob I'm so relieved now that you guys are back. It's too dangerous out there for any submissive." Emily's small delicate hand brought Jake back to the here and now.

Jacob stuttered as he tried to talk. "What are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard? There are rumors of boys being kidnapped and kept as prisoners until they phase, this prevents their parents from hiding them or taking them out of the country. The demand for subs is so high that they retorted by finding ways to take subs away from their masters so they could sell them to the highest bidder. At least one good thing came out of this; it's illegal to kill subs now. It carries prison time, I doubt it will even be enforced but it's a change in the right direction." Emily's words carried with them an accusation and a warning. This didn't go unnoticed by the alpha who nodded as his only reply.

"I was not aware of any of this. What do you mean by ways to take subs away from their masters?" The alpha was losing his composure fast looking from Emily to Seth like the sub would be taken from under his nose. The submissive kept himself busy playing with Sophia but was listening to everything being said. Edward observed Jacob's reaction trying to figure out what his deal was.

"I've only heard rumors; the council is greedy, desperate and powerful. This in my opinion is a very serious threat. They come to a house and check that the submissives are fulfilling their purpose, if they are not; the masters are accused of mishandling slaves and some other crap that doesn't even make sense. I don't know how people can fall for this." Emily threw her arms in the air in an exasperated gesture.

"I feel sorry for the council member that comes to this house, trust me he will regret ever setting foot in here." Jacob's features turned hard as stone with the decisiveness and confidence of one who knows he has a powerful and courageous group of fighters at his disposition. But it went beyond that, he would give his own life to keep his submissive safe.

"I hope that if the need ever arises you would be able to protect Seth; my daughter loves him so much that Paul is jealous."

"Yes daddy calls Seth the Chihuahua." Said Sophia giggling. "What I don't understand is when he calls him the alpha's fuck. I know Uncle Jay is the alpha, but what is fuck?" The little girl looked to Seth for an answer but he was tongue tied, Jake almost chocked on his own spit while Edward turned his back to the group and walked to the pantry to hide there and laugh. As infuriating as the thought of Seth being Jacob's fuck toy was, Sophia's innocence was enough to temporarily spare Jacob from his conviction as the slave's executioner. Emily was the only one who kept her poise; she was not only used to her daughter's curiosity but to her husband's dirty mouth.

"Sweetie what have I told you about repeating the things your dad says? You know better than that."

"Sorry mama." Seth was thankful that Emily had intervened, he honestly had no clue as to how to answer Sophia's question.

"I better get going; my father has been waiting long enough." Jacob peeked into the pantry where Edward was sitting on a crate working in regaining his composure. "Ed we good?" Edward nodded, after Emily's told them about the shitty situations taking place right under their noses both dominants knew that Seth's protection was a priority.

After Jacob left the kitchen Seth began prepping for lunch. There was no way to get Sophia away from the slave, all of them succumbing to the girl's tears. The submissive had no problem keeping her in the kitchen, he enjoyed her company. Sophia was the only person who saw him for what he was, a man. To keep her busy he gave her a pair of dull scissors so she could nip the end of a huge bag of green beans. She was delighted to help, seeing that doing so made her feel grown up.

Edward was thoroughly amused listening to the conversations between Seth and her. Their talks ranged from every possible subject the girl could understand to her made up world. Sophia was lonely; she had all the adults at her feet but without children to play with her childhood was slipping away in a bored blur. If there was one person who could understand her it was Seth. His childhood had been taken away from him, forcing him to face the realities of the adult world before his innocent brain could fully understand it. On many different occasions he had used his fantasies and imagination to escape the harsh world he was cursed to live in.

At the end of the day Edward walked Seth back to the room, Jake was not back yet and he would probably be back very late seeing that they had such a late start. "Seth, how is Jacob treating you?" Inquired Edward.

"The same as always, why do you ask?" Edward stopped to look at the slave, Seth was not made for lying, it was definitely not one of his talents. The slave averted his gaze knowing very well that the cook would be able to see right through his fibs. Even the monotone with which he tried to mask his untruthfulness was not enough.

"Because you both look different, for starters you don't have a mark on you and probably gained around ten pounds. The way Jacob looks at you is almost disturbing, I don't know if he is crazier than ever or if there is something else going on. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he is treating you well. I have a crazy theory floating around inside my head but it is so out there than not even the best fiction tale could compare"

"Ed, we've only been back for a day, the bruises from the last time he hit me faded and we haven't been here long enough for him to go at it again. I've been trying really hard to be what he wants me to be so I won't anger him, unfortunately I know it's only a matter of time before I do something that will warrant some kind of punishment. I wish I could tell you something else." Technically Seth wasn't lying, the bruises had indeed faded, he only failed to mention that several months had passed since the last time his master laid a hand on him.

"Seth and… the sex?"

"Same Ed, if you need to know he fucks me any time he wants, day or night. You can ask Quil, he was with us during part of the trip." It was killing the submissive to blatantly lie to his friend. He knew it was a necessary evil but couldn't help but feel terrible about it.

"I'm sorry Seth I don't mean to pry, I'm just trying to make sense of things and find an explanation to this feeling I have." Edward was sorry for making the slave feel uncomfortable with his questions. A part of him wished the sub would tell him that his master was not being abusive and was indeed treating him like a human being. But he knew that was one wish that would never be fulfilled. Still the mixed signals he was getting from both master and submissive were enough to make his head hurt.

"You shouldn't apologize to a slave." Seth was desperately trying to divert the attention away from the relationship he had with his master. Edward was no fool; it was just a matter of time before he would put all the pieces together.

"I'm apologizing to a fellow man, a brother. You know very well I don't see you as a slave. Well, this is your stop." Absorbed in the conversation Seth hadn't noticed they were standing in front of the door that led to the room he shared with his master. "Let's make sure everything is ok in there so I can go bed." After making sure there were no wolves in the room Edward left but not before reminding Seth to lock the door.

The slave jumped in the shower, he wanted to smell fresh and clean for his master turned boyfriend. The submissive giggled internally thinking of everything Edward said. He was especially excited about his master looking at him differently. The sub had seen the difference in Jacob, the softness in his eyes, the serene expression he sported nowadays, but refused to accept it. If someone else saw the same thing that would give veracity to his perception. He debated whether or not to tell his master that Edward was suspicious, if only so he would be more careful around other dominants. The submissive's joy was dampened by everything Emily had told them; he was deeply troubled by the whole situation. It didn't matter that Jacob had been cruel and evil, that was in the past. Now that things were looking up and Seth was being treated fairly, it wouldn't be fair if he was sold to a new master. But it went beyond that, if he was separated from Jacob it would be like someone buried their hand in his chest and pulled his beating heart out of him.

Seth stood by the window, looking up at the darkening sky. In summer nightfall came much later and even though it was past eight o'clock there was still light out. The hot day was being blown away by the cool evening breeze. An orange haze was tossed over the horizon, the sun refusing to leave for the day. Soon enough the twilight sky would leave way to a sea of darkness which would be littered with a multitude of bright spots that lit up the heavens. The slave waited for his master, he missed having him by his side; it was the longest they had been apart in almost two months.

The submissive stood motionless by the window, studying any change or movements in the shrubs or the trees. After some time he felt his chest swell up and his heartbeat accelerate. At last his master was near, he could feel his proximity. Seth didn't know if this was because of his gift as a tracker or just his spirit announcing the arrival of the master of his soul. The wolves walked out of the treeline one by one. Seth could see Billy's majestic wolf, so similar to Jacob's. They both had russet fur but Billy's had a black face while Jacob's was the same color as his body. Several wolves followed, each one phasing to walk the last leg of their journey as men. Seth was getting nervous, why wasn't his master among the group? Where could he be?

The slave was very tempted to leave the room to inquire about his master's whereabouts. Fifteen minutes passed before Seth could let go of the breath he had been holding. His master's russet wolf emerged from the woods followed by a much smaller silver one. Seth was giddy and literally jumping with joy. He recognized the small wolf, it was Embry. His master not only kept his promise but went beyond any expectations and brought his friend. If there was any doubt left in Seth's heart about his master's intentions, they disappeared the instant he saw his friend. Then and there he knew that his dominant would even interact with somebody he hated if that brought a smile to the submissive's face.

"Thank you my love for filling my heart with joy. I love you Jacob Black." His silent prayer was nothing but a whisper that nobody could hear but it was a booming song that reached all the way to the heavens above.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thank you to all my readers, reviewers and those who put me on your alerts and favorites. I love to hear from you, please feel free to give me feedback, ask questions or just say hello. I appreciate your reviews and comments more than words can express. I hope you're not losing interest in the story, I promise there will be some interesting developments in future chapters. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

**Chapter 22**

Seth waited impatiently for his master to arrive with his friend. The only thing that bothered him about Embry's visit was that after only one day sharing the room with his master he would have to go back to the old ways. But that didn't really matter, Seth's only friend was alive and that was enough reason to celebrate. The slave was well aware that both he and Embry had lived longer than most submissives. It had not been easy but Seth knew that at least for him it had been worth it. He had a chance to love someone and experienced being loved in return. At least he thought his master loved him, he had not said anything but sometimes words are not necessary.

At last he heard two pairs of steps in the hallway. A small shiver originated on the base of his head traveling down along his spine. Months before a different set of steps announced another link in the chain of torture and abuse. At least that day he had been saved by the same man who had his life in his hands. He didn't need to hear, scent or see to know who was walking towards the room. He could be deprived of all five senses and he would still know that Jacob was there. His spirit would tell him that the other half of his soul was close.

The door opened and Jacob came in, the instant he saw his master's alluring features he felt an all too familiar stirring. He longed to feel his master's hands rummaging all over his body as they made love; to sleep with Jake's strong arms holding him. Unfortunately a deep seethed anger or frustration was etched on his features and his sad eyes looked at the slave in almost an apologetic way. Embry walked in behind Jacob, his small form almost drowned by Jacob's massive one. Seth felt lost and confused; the contrasts in his master's expression left him with numerous questions that he knew he couldn't ask.

In a moment of clarity Seth remembered who he was and how he was expected to act. He sunk to his knees with his arms on each side of him. Jacob's heart ached, it had not been twenty four hours since he told his submissive not to kneel in their room and there he was on his knees like an obedient pet. The alpha was deeply troubled; he knew they couldn't risk Embry finding out what was going on behind closed doors but that didn't make it any easier.

"Stand up mutt! I got stuck babysitting this idiot again." Jacob felt a twinge of pleasure for getting to throw insults at the slave he despised. It actually felt really good to call Embry an idiot. "Sam has to go away for a few days and apparently this whore cannot keep his clothes on." The alpha roughly pushed Embry towards Seth who caught him before he would hit the floor.

The two slaves stood awkwardly next to each other, Seth still holding his friend whose vacant expression was painful to see. Without another word Jacob turned on his spot and began walking towards his office. The instant the master's back was turned to them the two friends embraced and sighed as they felt the comfort of each other's arms, what they hadn't noticed was that the alpha had stopped and was watching them. Embry lifted his head from Seth's shoulder and kissed him on the lips, it was not sexual, it was just their thing. They always kissed on the lips; their kisses never lingered and were nothing more than pecks. Jacob had witnessed this before but didn't care, but it was different now. He felt like ripping Embry's miserable lips off his face for soiling his puppy. What happened next caused such anger in him that he could barely breathe.

Jake had never experienced jealousy, seeing that he never cared for another living thing. It was a world he never wanted to visit, not only it produced in him the urge to rid the earth of the wretched creature that was Embry Uley, it made him feel even worse about himself. His anger became unbearable when he saw his slave looking at his friend's face with concern, his thin brows furrowed and his smile turned upside down. Seth studied the submissive's face carefully while running his fingers through Embry's long tresses. What Jacob saw next made him absolutely furious. He followed his slave's soft lips as they kissed his friend's face several times. One of Seth's small hands rested on his friend's chest while he held the back of his friends head with the other one. Embry had interlaced his fingers with those of the hand on his chest.

"Embry, is so good to see you." Seth sported a sad smile even though he was elated for seeing his only friend. "I wish I could kiss all your bruises away, he really did a number on your face." Whispered the slave.

"It's ok, they will fade soon enough, but thank you for kissing me. You are the only person that comforts me, even when I'm not here thinking of you always makes me smile. You're the only person that understands what I go through in a daily basis. I wish you didn't have to go through all this shit, you're just too good. But I'm so happy to see you well; I've been worried about you."

"I've been worried about you too. Why did your master hit you?"

"He doesn't need a reason; he is getting worse every day. At least you look really good; actually this is the best I've ever seen you look. Is he being good to you?"

Seth knew he needed to lie even if it hurt him. "Not really, his father is really on his case about not being willing to pay for more subs so he eased up a little. He punishes me now in ways that don't leave visible marks, that way he can deny everything."

"Bastard" Embry sneered under his breath.

"That's our life I guess, but tell me what are you doing here?"

"My master is leaving for a few days. He asked Jacob to keep an eye on me, he can't trust me."

"Why is that?" Queried Seth.

"I tried to escape. He caught me of course and almost killed me. I think he would've killed me if Billy Black hadn't showed up and reminded him that if he disposed of me he was not getting another slave. I did spend a month in the dungeons chained to a wall. Ah, and he did this." Embry lifted his left hand to Seth's eye level. He was so horrified by what he saw that bile rose to his mouth coating it with a bitter taste. Embry was missing half his pinkie and ring finger. Seth's eyes filled with tears that he couldn't help but let spill.

"Embry…" Seth muttered, he couldn't speak his voice was choking with rage and impotence. He took his friend's mutilated hand and pressed it against his face bathing it with his tears. Embry's eyes brimmed with tears, his crushed spirit overtaken by emotion. Seth held back the steady stream coming from his eyes. His friend didn't need pity or somebody to feel sorry for him, he deserved compassion and love.

"It's fine Seth, please don't cry." Embry's voice quivered with emotion.

Seth encased his friend in another hug; he needed to be strong for his friend. They stood in place rocking, each one trying to comfort his friend. After listening to their conversation Jacob couldn't stay angry at the slaves. He knew how Sam treated his subs, the same way he treated his or at least how he used to. A shiver ran down his spine when he imagined everything the little dog had gone through. What rubbed salt on his guilty conscience was that he knew that the only reason he never cut a sub's fingers was because it never occurred to him. The master retreated to his office giving the subs some privacy.

Embry's stomach growled loudly making Seth take notice. "Em, when was the last time you ate?"

"Yesterday, Sam didn't have time to feed me this morning before leaving and he locks me in the room now before he goes out. Even if some of the staff wanted to help me they couldn't. When your master arrived he just yanked me out of the room and immediately we were on our way."

After telling Embry to stay put Seth went to his master's office. "Master may I go to the kitchen to get some food for Embry? He is very hungry." Jacob raised his eyes to look at his slave, who stood by the door, his eyes fixated on the floor.

"No you can't". Seth lifted his eyes to look at his master; Jacob read the word _please _on his lips as he begged for his friend's sake. The master could see how his sub pleaded with his eyes, the same way he had done it the day Jake cowardly branded him. Unfortunately he couldn't seem very pleasant to Embry. If Sam caught wind of him treating the submissive with a smidgen of consideration he could go blabbing to the council.

Seth stepped inside the office closing the door behind him. Jacob followed his movements with curiosity, not knowing what his intentions were. The submissives' eyes didn't make contact with his, he looked unsure as he approached his master. Jacob was not so much surprised as distressed when his puppy knelt next to him. "Please master I beg you, he has been through so much. His master cut his fingers off and has been starving him more than usual. When I hugged him I could feel the bones of his back."

Jacob couldn't stand it and placing his hands on each one of Seth's flanks and made him stand up only to pull him to his lap. Seth curled on against his master's chest with his head resting on his shoulder. After a few minutes of each man calming down enough to be able to speak the submissive rose slightly so his mouth was against his master's ear. "Please Jake, let me feed him, I can't bear to know that he is going to bed without having anything to eat today." Whispered Seth.

"You know very well that he will tell Sam everything that happens here. I can't put you at risk, I feel horrible for saying this but to me you are way more important than Embry and that's a fact."

"No man is worth more than another. At the moment I'm just lucky. If when the transporters brought us to the Uley property the soldier would've chosen me for Sam I would've ended up being his sub. That man out there could've been me, Jake." The master couldn't argue with that logic. Instead he got the gears in his head working, thinking of creative ways to give in to what his sub wanted without putting themselves in the position of having to explain their relationship.

"I have an idea, go out there and tell Embry I said you couldn't get him anything to eat, trust me." Seth nodded and gave his master a small peck on the lips before exiting his office.

"Sorry Em, he didn't give me permission to go to the kitchen." Embry's hope faded as he grabbed his stomach.

"It's fine buddy, but you better watch out." Seth raised an eyebrow as he gave him a quizzical look. "I may be very tempted to steal your share of the breakfast tomorrow." Their grinning faces were in sharp contrast with what each man felt.

"Seth, does he have any plans for us tonight? You know like last time. Because if he does I'm telling you right now that I don't want to top again. If it was somebody else I wouldn't mind but not with you. My friend you are the closest thing I have to a brother I can't hurt you like that again." Stated Embry shaking his head

"First of all you didn't hurt me. Second we'll do whatever he orders us to do. If he tells you to turn me upside down and fuck me you'll do just that, no questions asked. I couldn't bear to see him punish you." Embry nodded accepting Seth statement. He would hate every minute of it but he knew they were powerless to have control over their bodies. "Anyway even if he had plans he wouldn't tell me, we have to wait and see."

Jacob walked out of his office and was in front of the subs in a few long strides. "Seth, you asking for food for this mutt made me hungry; let's go to the kitchen so you can make me something to eat." Seth stood up at once but when he turned to look at Embry Jacob pushed him towards the door making him stumble and fall on one of his knees. Embry stiffened on his spot as did Jacob who made a huge effort not to pick his slave up. He had exerted more force than he intended and ended up hurting his pup.

"You, mutt" Said Jake pointing at Embry "Come with us, Sam already told me about your escape attempt you cannot be left unsupervised. Ah, and before I forget, know that I will not be with you two twenty four seven; if you escape while under my watch your little fuck buddy there will bear your punishment and his. I've never cut a sub's finger, that was a nice touch. I have to congratulate your master, he never ceases to amaze me. Maybe I'll try it with Seth if he pisses me off enough."

"Move, damn it!" Screamed Jacob, he was putting quite a show. His anger was not entirely fake; he hated having to treat Seth like a lowly slave. He was especially disappointed with himself for shoving him earlier and making him fall.

Arriving at the kitchen Jacob sat on one of the kitchen stools while Seth and Embry took food out of the refrigerator. Embry's stomach was growling loudly and Seth kept glancing towards his friend like if just by looking at him he could will his stomach to be quiet. Embry cut several slices of bread while Seth placed some pieces of chicken on a pan to warm them up.

"That'll take some time to warm up, I'll be right back." Jacob stood up and walked towards the hallway but stopped when he reached the door. "Don't try anything you two, I'm right outside this door."

The minute Jacob set foot outside the kitchen Seth took some of the meat he was warming up and placed it between two slices of bread and gave it to Embry. "Here, go in the pantry and eat this, if he comes back I'll tell him I sent you there to get a tomato." Embry didn't hesitate he knew the chance wouldn't present itself again and the other option was going to bed hungry. He scarfed down the sandwich like his life depended on it. While he was eating Seth brought him a glass of cold milk to wash it down.

By the time Jacob came back the two submissives had his food on a plate and looked like nothing happened. Seth gave his master a conspiratorial look that his master returned, but adding a half smile that his slave found extremely sexy. The sub was very grateful for everything. He knew that even though his master was rough with him it was all an act.

Once they were back in the room Jacob chained Embry to the wall and warned his slave not to try anything stupid. "I'm warning you dog, I know your scent like the back of my hand, if you try to escape I'll catch you for sure and I will not rest until you regret ever been born." Seth nodded in understanding and lied next to his friend. Embry turned to face his friend and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before drifting off to sleep. Jacob couldn't help the jealousy that brewed inside him. Somebody's lips were on his puppy and he absolutely hated it. To add insult to injury he missed having Seth's warm body next to him and for the first time in a long while he had trouble falling asleep.

After quite some time all that could be heard in the room were the soft snores of the submissive and the nighttime critters wild orchestra of sounds. Jacob's mind was playing a movie in his head of everything that happened in the last few hours. He felt his heart constrict in his chest thinking that Seth could've been with Sam. The compassion that he harbored for the submissives was growing with every passing minute. Things that he never noticed before caught his attention. The slaves were not invisible anymore, quite the contrary, they were a big reminder of how totally fucked up was the world they were living in. Lost in his thoughts the master didn't see the shadow moving about in his room. He finally noticed Seth standing next to him but pretended to be asleep to see what would happen. His spirit soared when the soft lips of his slave caressed his cheek as he was rewarded with a tender kiss.

"Thank you" Whispered Seth in an almost imperceptible voice. He was certain his master was asleep but wanted to thank him for giving Embry some much needed solace. The slave sauntered back to his spot and laid next his friend snuggling up to him. Jacob felt as another part of his being healed; the kindness he had shown towards Sam's slave had not gone unnoticed by his spirit.

Before sunup Seth was taken out of his slumber by a warm hand gently shaking his shoulder. When he opened his eyes a smile crept up on his lips at the sight of his master's naked body kneeling next to him. Jacob signaled for his slave to follow him and they exited the room. They walked across the hallway and Jake opened the door to a room that Seth had always wondered about. Across from his master's room there were several doors that led to what the submissive thought were rooms but the doors were always locked and he never had a chance to explore.

Once inside, the room looked like any other. A queen size bed covered with a simple floral bedspread was pushed against the wall to the left. On the opposite side there was a big window with light green sheer curtains on each side. In front of the window Seth could see a medium size desk with a comfortable-looking brown leather swivel chair. A comfy looking armchair was set against the back wall, a reading light and a small table completed the list of furnishings in that room.

"Whose room is this?" Asked Seth.

"No one's, I consider this floor and specifically this side of the house my private area. I never wanted to have anybody dwelling in these rooms. You know I am a very private person. The staff keeps them clean in case we have too many visitors at once and the guest rooms are not enough. But enough chit chat; I didn't wake you up to talk, baby I need you." Seth wondered what was going on in his master's mind, the man that had everything certainly didn't need anything that a slave could provide. Jacob's voice was almost a whimper; he had awoken from one of his nightmares and turned to look at his puppy. The sight in front of him both comforted him and made him livid. His submissive was lying behind Embry with one of his arms resting on his friend's hip. The master knew he needed to claim his submissive, to feel him his again. It was stupid since nothing had changed between them but seeing him sleeping next to another man was just too much for him to tolerate.

Before Seth could utter a word Jacob pressed his lips against the submissive's. The master's lips felt soft like butter and his mouth was sweet as nectar. On instinct the slave placed his arms around his master's neck and his legs around his waist when Jake picked him up. He walked them both to the armchair and sat down in a less than graceful way making them both giggle. Seth nibbled on his master's lips and could already feel his member hardening and the scent of their shared arousal becoming more intense. The slave pulled back for a moment to remove his shirt which ended up on the floor beside the chair. Instead of reclaiming his master's lips he got to work on his neck causing a loud moan to escape his lips.

Jacob would never get over how amazing it felt to have his submissive's lips caressing his body. It was a new level of elatedness that he never thought existed. Seth continued worshiping his master's body as he sucked, kissed and nibbled on the warm flesh. The master kept kneading the slave's firm behind over his pants.

"Puppy these pants are in the way, stand up so I can remove them." Instead of climbing down to the floor Seth stood up on the chair one foot on each side of his master's legs. Jake lifted his eyes to look at him only to find his slave smirking in a knowingly way. The master undid the button of the old rag that passed for pants and after opening the zipper pulled them down. As soon as the cloth passed the submissive's narrow hips his cock sprung up in full attention. At that moment the alpha realized what his naughty puppy had been smirking about.

Of course he would mess with his sub a little, even thought he was dying to eat the tasty morsel right in front of his face. He took his time helping Seth step out of his pants even going as far as trying to fold them before depositing them on the floor. The submissive was almost to the point of growling to his master. He was spoiled; during the time they were away his master had pleasured him numerous times. The slave craved his master's hot mouth around his turgid member, it was becoming his drug. Instead of going for it, Jacob kissed the submissive's hips getting closer and closer to his sex without actually touching it. This was driving the slave insane; he couldn't take so much teasing. Since Jacob insisted on drawing circles around the sub's need Seth decided to take matters into his own hands. Moving back slightly he encircled his painfully erect member with his fist and after spreading some of his natural lubrication over the swollen head he pumped the full length of his hard shaft. The slave moaned into the room feeling his sac tighten and his body beg for release.

Jacob's gasp and quivering breath betrayed him. His submissive was being a total slut and he was loving every second of it. He was very far from the scared slave that until just a few weeks ago would tremble under Jacob's gaze. The master wanted to keep enjoying the show but his body was screaming at him, his dick like a fiery torch demanding attention. The alpha playfully slapped the submissive's hand away and replaced it with his moist cavern. Seth smiled down at his master in a silent victory which awarded him with a slap on the butt. Sensing that his pup was not going to last long Jacob used his fingers to prepare him.

While the lovers engaged in their early morning romp Edward was in the kitchen finishing breakfast unaware of the activities taking place upstairs. As it happened more frequent than not Ed had awoken and couldn't go back to sleep as thoughts of his beloved came to mind. He remembered how Benjamin used to hold him in his arms whenever he couldn't sleep. For most of their adult life they only had each other, but that was ok since that was all they needed. He had been infuriated the day before and needed to go on a run to calm his frazzled nerves. Jacob was getting worse every day, how could so much cruelty fit inside one person? Seth had lasted longer than any sub he ever owned, actually more than several of them put together. There was something special about the little dog, Edward couldn't put his finger on it but the pup had managed to stay alive when no other could. The cook could only guess all the despicable things Jacob submitted the slave to the previous night. He felt guilty for any harm coming to the kid and swore to himself to be more patient with the motherfucker alpha until his friends would come through with a plan to free the sub. Failure was not an option; he was not willing to see another slave die in front of him. That was the only reason he was still at the manor, he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Especially after the catastrophic results of the last time he tried to wing it.

Edward worked in autopilot arranging all the dishes on a big tray. He tried to pile the plates with enough food for at least six people, maybe that way the two submissives in the room would get their fair share. He left the kitchen in the direction of Jacob's room with a heavy load that had little to do with the tray he carried. Every day he hated more and more having to go down that hallway. Each passing door brought him closer to the pits of hell. Inside the door a demon devoured the souls of simple men for the only sin of having been born different.

Seth was tightening around his master's fingers, his muscles contracting around the invading digits. Jacob spat crudely on his hand and spread the moisture on the purple head of his cock. He held the sub's hips as he lowered himself to the awaiting member. Their lips mashed hard together as the slave wiggled around a bit trying to align his master's dick with his entrance. At last ever so slowly he descended on his master's penis. Jake wouldn't let him go too fast afraid of hurting him; Seth's expression spoke of anything but pain, his face read unashamed bliss. Soon enough he was flush on his master's legs.

The submissive rocked back and forth slowly and deliberately, eliciting a stream of curses and faltering moans from his master. "Oh fuck Seth, so tight."

When Jacob's voice reached Edward he felt nauseated. The last thing he wanted was to witness what happened in that room and there he was, with a front row seat to all the action. He dropped the tray on the table and turned on his heels to escape as fast as he could from that place of eternal darkness. He stopped on his tracks when he realized the sounds were coming from the wrong side of the hallway. Inching towards the door opposite to Jacob's room he pressed his ear to it and heard two distinct fast beating hearts. He was disgusted by the noises he heard since he knew they were related to one more humiliating experience for the slave. The cook was very tempted to break down the door, run in the room, pick up the submissive and run out of there like his tail was on fire. Then again if he did that he risked causing the slave's death and that was something he couldn't live with.

Seth's arms were around the alpha's neck as he rose slightly on his legs only to sink back down in an interminable dance that mimicked the waves of the ocean. The submissive could feel his insides tightening and about to snap, he wanted to make it last longer but it was just too much for him to be able to hold on to a smidgen of control. Jacob was also feeling the effects of their sexual rapture. Every nerve in his length felt the friction of the sub's contracting insides; the sensation was rushing him to the finale.

Seth's movements were stronger, lifting himself until only the swollen head of his master's dick rested inside him, then impaling himself on the hot length. They were becoming lost in a desperate whirlwind of emotion and desire. Seth cried out his master's name before stiffening in total surrender. Jacob followed suit less than a minute after the sub. They were both out of breath and covered in sweat. Seth was close to collapsing and sat down on his master's shrinking member, watching his viscous fluid as it slid down his master's abdomen.

Edward stood frozen on his spot, unable to have a coherent thought. He had been certain that Jacob was raping Seth but what he heard couldn't be described as that. Did he hear right or was his sleep deprived brain playing tricks on him? Did Seth call his master by his name? That wasn't possible; if that was the case Seth would already be dead. One thing Jacob detested was not having total control over what his slaves did and said. If the submissive in fact called him by his name that could only mean one thing, Jacob allowed it.

Things started making sense to him. Seth's appearance for one, the weight gain and lack of signs of abuse. That brought him to Jacob's appearance, it had struck him the previous day but he was sure it was because of his time away, he looked young and relaxed. Edward remembered thinking that the son of a bitch didn't deserve to look so peaceful. Also the looks the pair of lovers were exchanging, he thought he had seen something but dismissed it as a product of his imagination. Jacob's request for Edward to leave their food by the door and not go in his room was what he still didn't understand. Edward wanted to smile and even do a little dance, if what he thought was true that meant Seth was safe. Unfortunately life had a fucked up way to mess with everybody around him and maybe he was seeing more into this than was there. It could be wishful thinking; he wanted it to be true but it was such a farfetched idea that he knew it was close to impossible.

Thinking that since they were obviously done they would come out of the room at any moment Edward peeled himself from the door and walked down the hallway with so many ideas, thoughts and questions floating around in his head that he thought it would explode. It was only a name, all he heard Seth say was _Jacob. _It didn't mean anything; most probably it was not even Seth. It sounded like his voice but maybe it was Embry's, nah why would he leave the room to fuck Embry? And even if he did he wouldn't allow any familiarity. It was probably another wolf, but that was not a dominant's voice. He could come up with a hundred different explanations and still not come up with the right one. The cook decided to go back to the kitchen and just observe them; he would draw his conclusions after watching them interact. He wouldn't ask Jake, if it had been a mistake and by some miracle Jacob didn't hurt Seth he could be tempted to do so if Edward put the slave's mistake in evidence.

Jacob reached for Seth's shirt and wiped his cum off his abdomen and after asking him to rise to his knees placed the shirt on his abused backside to catch what was trickling from inside him. Seth sat back down trying to hide his face on his master's chest. For one who's had more sex than he wanted to think about, Seth was very bashful when it came to intimacy. Parading around naked was second nature to him as was being fucked by any dominant, but this was way different. His heart was naked making him feel vulnerable. That on itself was very scary to one in such dire circumstances as he was. Unaware of what was going on inside his submissive Jake smirked at the blush that covered the slave's cheeks. "Don't tell me this embarrasses you" Jake stated in a less than tactful way.

"I know it's stupid, but it does." Seth's previous elated expression went to the other side of the spectrum. His head hanging low, his eyes glued to his hands that wriggled the tattered shirt between his fingers.

Jacob realized a little too late the effect his words had on the submissive. "Fuck sometimes I think the head of my dick has more brains than the one over my shoulders. That was very thoughtless of me. Please bear with me, I may be an idiot but I'm your idiot." The alpha gave the slave an apologetic smile that reached all the way to his heart. Seth knew that it will take a long time for his master to see him as more than a piece of meat.

"It's fine master." Anytime Jacob messed up Seth went into protective mode trying to spare what was left of his crippled psyche. The first step was going back to what he was used to; he always went back to being a slave. Seth tried to get off his master's lap but his dominant held him in place, his fingers digging into the submissive's hips in an almost painful way.

The alpha growled annoyed with the sub's attitude. Yes he fucked up, he was well aware of that; Seth didn't need to rub salt on the wound with this passive aggressive bullshit attitude. "Damn it! If you want to call me master go ahead. If you want me to treat you like a fucking slave let me know, but stop it with the fucking mind games. I'm getting fed up with this!" Jacob was not known for having a lot of patience, the last thing he wanted to do was yell at his submissive. In his head he knew that Seth had a long way to go before he could rid himself of the slave mentality but his heart couldn't wait for him to heal.

"Please forgive me; I'm not playing mind games. I'm an idiot too, but I'm your idiot." Seth shrugged his shoulders and smiled shyly at his master. The tension in the room defused almost instantaneously. Jacob hugged the slave and tucked a kiss on his bald head. They both sighed relieved for being in each other's arms once more and in good terms.

"Jake did we just have our first fight?"

"I guess, if I say yes does that mean we get to have make up sex?" Said the dominant, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Seth laughed heartily at his master's antics. This was his boyfriend, the horny alpha.

"That sounds awesome but I don't know what time it is. The sun rose a while ago, weren't you supposed to be in the fields early today?"

"Oh crap you're right, but whatever, I'll get there when I get there. You're a bad influence puppy." Seth snuggled to his boyfriend's chest. Jacob wrapped his arms around the slave's small body in a protective embrace, filling himself with the scent of his submissive. That would take him through the day.

"Jake why the early morning booty call?" Mumbled the submissive against his master's chest.

"I had one of my nightmares but my puppy was shacking up with…" Seth lifted his head to look at his master arching an eyebrow and his mouth tense. "… our guest. You're so good at chasing the bad memories away that I needed your comfort."

"If all you needed was comforting I think a hug would've been enough." The slave was being a smart aleck, but his master didn't mind. When the submissive was playful and unrestrained his real personality would shine through. In those rare moments Jacob swore to free Seth by any means necessary.

"I wish we had enough time for me to erase that smirk of your face. I can think of enough uses for your mouth to keep you busy for a while. Unfortunately we have to go, I'm sure your friend is awake by now." Seth climbed down from his master's lap and donned his pants that laid abandoned on the floor.

"Why do you bother getting dressed? You're going to shower now anyway." Seth looked slightly crestfallen. Jake huffed in annoyance at what he thought would be another argument.

"What did I say now?" The master's body language was enough to tell the slave how frustrated he was. His arms by his sides, his jaw tense and a deep angry scowl on his handsome face completed the look.

Seth walked towards his master pressing the palms of his hands against his broad chest before speaking. "You didn't say anything wrong. I just felt embarrassed for not being up to your standards. To my defense you didn't give me a chance to shower. I hope it was not too unpleasant to take me in your mouth." Whispered the slave without lifting his eyes to look at his master.

"Puppy you were fine, actually more than fine, you were yummy. Don't take me wrong I still prefer you showered but your natural scent is like nothing I ever experienced and getting it was an unexpected treat. Also do you think I stopped to think for one minute that I wished you were fresh out of the shower? I had your dick in my mouth; all I could think of was how good it tasted, how great it felt on my tongue and how much my cock was aching to be inside you. And did I say I had your dick in my mouth!" Jacob held the submissive's shoulders, making eye contact as he spoke. Seth held his gaze even though he was blushing and felt the urge to look anywhere but his master's eyes. The master was more amused than anything, his little submissive worried too much about pleasing him. Little did he know that all the alpha needed was his presence, the rest would fall into place if he was there.

"Fuck I wish I could spend the day with you in our room. Keep the door locked, I'll ask Ed to bring your lunch. Don't worry; today I'm asking dad for his wolf. Yesterday I couldn't do it because Sam was there and the last thing I need is him sniffing around. I'm sure dad will accept and tomorrow you'll be able to go back and forth to the kitchen somewhat safe." Seth nodded, encircling his master with his arms like he didn't want to let go.

They walked together to the door where they shared one last kiss before stepping out in the hallway. Seth stood aside to let his master through; no submissive would ever walk ahead of a dominant. That's all it took to get the submissive in the right mindset. He knew that outside of that door he was nothing but a slave. Jacob shook his head frustrated with the whole situation. When did the world get out of their hands? The problems were the same as before the pandemic, war, corruption, crime, the list was eerily similar. They did accomplish something, to revitalize a practice that had been abolished hundreds of years before, slavery.


	23. Chapter 23

**A big thank you to all the readers, especially those who added the story to their alerts, favorite story or favorite author. To those of you who took the time to review you made my day, all your reviews give me encouragement and bring a smile to my face.**

**Thanks again to Ratts for all her help with segments of this chapter.**

**Please check out the story Sins of the father by SoundShield11. Not only is he a gifted author, his ideas are innovative and the storyline promises a great read.**

**Blue Anchor, first of all thank you for your great reviews. To answer your question Benjamin was mentioned in chapter 9. **

**I should mention that I don't own Twilight or any of its characters, they belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Chapter 23**

Master and slave entered the room that only two days ago Jacob declared as theirs. Jacob sauntered in naked as the day he was born and seemingly without a care in the world. Seth walked in behind his master, keeping his eyes downcast in total submission. The dominant walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day without even a glance directed at the small wolf chained to the wall. Seth ran to his master and touching his arm to get his attention asked him to unlock the chain so his friend could get started with his day. The master huffed in annoyance that was not entirely phony, after the intimate moment he shared with his puppy he had to go back to reality and part of that reality was his boyfriend's buddy who he happened to hate. He unlocked the chain, turned on his heels and walked away, like Embry was some terrible disease he didn't want to catch.

Seth extended his hand to help Embry stand up even though it was hardly necessary. He just felt it was common courtesy to do so. He noticed how his friend looked at him, his eyebrows pinched together, and a look that bordered on pity. "Seth, are you ok?" Asked Embry after looking over his friend's shoulder at the alpha's retreating form.

The slave knew exactly what his friend meant with his question. "Yes I am, kinda sore, nothing that a little time won't cure. Come, I do need a shower." The submissives walked to the small bathroom where Seth got in the shower while Embry used the facilities. Embry teased his friend relentlessly when he caught sight of him shaving his legs. Seth didn't remember ever flipping somebody with so much gusto. The two men were happy to be together and that had lifted their spirits. For Seth it was easier seeing that he was already happy but to his friend this was an unexpected treat.

Once they were back in the bedroom Seth approached his master with his bowl. The master hated the idea of his puppy going hungry but it was a necessary evil. He spooned a small amount of food into the bowl and told him to get away from him. The two friends shared the meager breakfast they were offered, grateful for getting any food at all. "You two bitches will stay here and make this room shine. Do I make myself clear? Speak!" Both subs answered at once, their small voices warming up Jacob's heart of ice.

The minute Jacob stepped out of the room the submissives got to work, stripping the bed and setting the dirty clothes outside. Walking back from the door Seth saw Embry looking at the table and realized there was still food on his master's plate. Jacob couldn't leave his puppy hungry after all and left enough food for both men to get several bites each. In the past Seth wouldn't have dreamt of eating anything left in his master's plate but he knew that now he wouldn't get in trouble if he found out, actually he was certain he did it on purpose.

The morning passed quickly with both men working together while talking non-stop. Several months had passed since they saw each other last and even though their lives were far from exciting they still talked about everything going on in their households and their minds. Seth told tales he had learned in the books he had been reading from his master's library. Embry was fascinated and encouraged him to tell him more stories. He would add them to his repertoire of fantasies to use in the bad times. Still Seth felt that his friend was hiding something but dismissed it, thinking that Embry could just as easy have the same feeling. There was nothing he wanted more than to share with his friend all the events of the past weeks but he had to practice caution.

At noon a loud knock on the door made them stiffen, they looked at each other fearing what could be on the other side of the door. "Seth, open up; it's me Ed." The submissive let go of the gulp of air he was holding and opened the door. He went to get the tray from Edward who instead of handing it over walked in the room and placed it on the table.

"Before you say anything, I know you master said he didn't want me here. But since he will be out in the fields all day, I decided it was fine. Oh fuck…" Seth didn't understand Ed's reaction until he followed the cook's line of sight and say his friend kneeling on the floor. "Get up! Never kneel before me, feel free to talk to me and to look at me in the eye. To me you're not less of a man just because you're a submissive." Edward plopped down on a chair and rubbed his hands on his face trying to repress the fury that was boiling inside him. Embry was surprised and intrigued by this man. He had seen him the last time he visited but neither one of them paid much attention to the other. He would come in the room to bring breakfast and leave without saying a word. This time it was different, there was a certain familiarity in the cook. What struck him the most was how open he was with how he felt about submissives. In Sam's estate there were several servants that would lend a helping hand every once in a while. The numerous times that Sam left him chained to the wall without water, food or ways to relieve himself they came to help him out. He owed them his life, but he knew that none of them would go out of their way to help a sub. They helped behind closed doors, where Sam would never find out.

"Embry, don't be scared; this is Edward, he is a good guy." Seth had seen his friend serious expression and wanted to put his mind at ease. It was second nature for a submissive to distrust dominants; they were feeble creatures dominated by their instincts.

"You must be hungry, I'm sure Jacob barely gave you table scraps this morning." The memory of what Edward heard was still fresh in his memory. He kept observing Seth looking for signs that would indicate how he was being treated. What he saw made his heart do cartwheels. The submissive didn't have any bruises, not even a scratch on his scarred skin. His face was rounder; his eyes were not sunk anymore. Instead he had a healthy glow and looked several pounds heavier. But the most important feature was his eyes. They had a sparkle and a life he had never seen in any submissive. This stood out more when he compared him to Embry. While Sam's sub was beautiful like all subs were, his eyes were dead. He didn't have bags under his eyes, wrinkles or frown lines but he looked one hundred years old.

Edward directed his attention to Embry who stood shyly behind Seth. "Sit down; I brought enough food for both of you to get your fill." He said softly while pushing the food towards the subs.

"I even brought ice cream." At the mere mention of the yummy goodness Embry opened his eyes comically and licked his lips. It had been so long since he had eaten ice cream. It was not that they didn't make it in Sam's house. His master knowing how much he liked it would sit in front of him moaning with every spoonful and would only give him the bowl to lick when he was done.

"Em, I guess you want to start with desert, right?" Embry nodded enthusiastically and carried one of the shallow bowls to their spot by the wall and sat down on the floor to enjoy it. Edward went to tell Embry to sit at the table but stopped when a small warm hand patted his forearm. He met Seth's eyes and nodded in understanding. He then sat silently while the subs enjoyed their lunch.

After placing their empty dishes on the tray, Embry turned to look at Edward and whispered thank you. He was terrified of speaking out of order especially to this man that intrigued him so much. Even though Ed lacked the arrogance and cockiness of most wolves in power, he had an air of authority inherent to every alpha. Embry saw that and admired him even more. The way Embry was looking at the alpha didn't escape him; he felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny but at the same time was flattered. He had made himself invisible in the Black's estate. The walls he built around himself were almost impossible to knock down. His reputation was one of a son of a bitch with a bad attitude and that was the way he liked it. Trying to divert attention away from him he took used the opportunity to ask a few questions. He had to be careful since he was almost sure that Embry ignored whatever was going on. "So Seth, we haven't talked in forever, how was your trip? Quil told me you separated to cover more territory."

"The trip was uneventful; it was fun to see other places. I've only travelled three times before this and it was only to deliver me to a new master. This was quite different in that aspect." Each one of Seth's words were carefully selected he couldn't let anything slip.

"Where did you go after you parted ways?"

"We went up north to the Finger Lakes region, then travelled South along the coast." Seth omitted to mention the visit to his hometown for the main reason that they had nothing to do there. But Ed saw the first clue to prove his suspicions. They had absolutely no reason to be so far up north. There was only one outpost in that area and it was in the border, but they were far enough from the border to render null the possibility that they visited the outpost.

"Interesting, you must be happy to be back. I bet it felt nice to sleep back on a bed."

Edward expected Seth to say yes and confirm his suspicions. He could already feel himself grinning even though the sub had not answered. "I missed my soft blanket but not the chain." Damn it! Thought Ed. Maybe he was deluding himself and seeing more than what was really there.

"I was in my room last night and couldn't help thinking of what he must've been putting you two through last night. Was he as bad as Sam, Embry?" Edward needed to change his strategy. He was desperate; it was not a sick need to meddle in anybody's business. He only wanted to have some hope.

Nobody knew what went through Ed's mind every day. This post-apocalyptic world was something to be ashamed of, if for the only reason that they resurrected slavery. When he laid in bed at night crying in anger he thought of what was the point of continue living. He lost his Benjamin to war, every day he saw a young man starving in front of him, covered in cuts and bruises and with the smell of fresh blood stuck to him like a sick perfume. This was no way to live; he had no reason to continue existing. He joined the abolitionists hoping to make a difference but so far he had been totally ineffective. But he had made a promise to his beloved, one rainy day he sat at the foot of a fresh grave that contained the few remains of the man he hoped to spend his life with and promised to only leave this earth after he made a difference. He knew Benjamin would wait for him an eternity and Ed would not soil their love by turning into a coward to get to him sooner.

"He didn't touch either one of us; I guess he was tired." Explained Embry, daring to talk. "He made up for it this morning, but only with Seth." The look of pity Seth had seen in his friend earlier returned, making him feel embarrassed for lying to his friend. Embry put his left arm around his friend's shoulders as he pulled him towards himself and kissed the top of his head. He wanted to give him comfort; he was doing everything he hoped somebody would do to him.

"It was something that has happened a hundred times before; I'm already healed. Don't feel bad for me, I'm fine." Added Seth, his face turned to look at his best friend while he talked.

Not wanting to push the subject and put himself on evidence or what was worse, put Seth at risk. Edward decided to leave with the answers he had floating in his head. It was very confusing seeing that the answers were conflicting. He had a few ideas on how to discredit one argument or support the other but he needed to get to the kitchen and work on it.

Jacob came back late in the afternoon, he was tired and hungry but that was nothing when compared to how much he missed his puppy. He was grateful he got to spend almost the entire day in human form and was able to daydream about his pup. He hated having to spend the day away from Seth but there was too much work to do and very few hands to do it. Even though their numbers were not diminishing they were not growing either, a fact that had Billy Black especially worried. The alpha was already savoring the air, swearing he could taste his submissive in it. His anger made its appearance when after entering their room he scented the air and found something he didn't like. The air was contaminated with not only Embry's scent, which was bad on itself, but to add insult to injury there was the lingering scent of a dominant in the room.

He stomped his way across the sitting area and into the room where the two submissives waited for him on their knees. Pulling Seth to his feet he got in his face screaming to the top of his lungs. "Who the fuck was in this room!? I smell a dominant. Who was it?" Jacob shook the submissive with enough force that he would've knocked him off his feet if not for the fact that he held firmly to the sub's arm. One thing was certain, this would help eliminate any dangerous reports the mutt would give Sam. Truth be told that he was more scared than furious, it wouldn't be the first time that he left the house and Seth was taken advantage of. With two submissives in the room there was an even bigger appeal, he had to put more than one wolf in their place when they whined to him about not having anyone to fuck while he had two dogs available.

"It was Edward, master; he brought our lunch." Jacob felt the rapid beating of Seth's heart and knew he was messing up royally. But the rage had taken over; he had very little control when it came to his anger.

"He only stayed for a minute." Interjected Embry earning him a glare from the alpha.

"I'll talk to him tomorrow; I was speaking clearly when I told him not to come in the room. That defiant son of a bitch has a way of rubbing me the wrong way." Jacob realized a little too late that he was still holding Seth's arm. When he let go there was already a bruise in the shape of his fingers around the slave's forearm. His world was crumbing fast, he had not been able to curve his anger and hurt the only person that mattered to him.

"Embry, go to the kitchen to get my dinner. This bitch needs to be put in his place." Embry moved slowly towards the door. He feared what he would find when he came back. He cursed his existence and he cursed Seth's.

Jacob stood like a statue, inhaling and exhaling slowly trying to calm himself. Seth wouldn't dare move; he was stuck at arm's reach of the alpha. "Seth, I don't know what to say. How is your arm?" Very lightly he traced the contour of the red spot on the submissive's arm which was already darkening. The slave was too afraid to even make a sound; he didn't know where he stood with the unstable alpha.

"Please talk to me, I know I messed up. I'm so ashamed and angry at myself. The worse thing is that I can't promise that this will not happen again." At this point Jake's voice cracked, the emotion being almost as intense as the anger that got him in trouble in the first place.

Seth reached up with a tremulous hand and touched his master's face. "Master…"

"Damn it Seth, call me Jake!"

"Jake don't torture yourself, I understand."

"Why baby? Why are you so good to me? I don't deserve it. I don't deserve your loyalty and your caring. You're an angel; this is the only explanation I have."

Seth chuckled lightly but his face only showed sadness. "Jake I'm the farthest thing from an angel. I just decided not to let bitterness rule me." The master guided the slave to the table where he sat down on one of the chairs and pulled the submissive to his lap. He felt shame and joy when the submissive snuggled to his chest. Surrounding him with his arms he rocked slightly.

"I'm so sorry baby, so sorry." Jake rested his head on the slave's bald head. He picked up Seth's arm and kissed the bruise lovingly. He would give anything to turn back time.

"Ok no more apologizing; what's done it's done." Seth seemed to get a second wind after snuggling with his master for a few minutes. They had that effect on each other. The slave placed each one of his small hands on each side of his master's face and gave him a loud smacking kiss that made his master smile against his lips. "At least Embry saw what happened. If he has to give a report to his master he will be able to be truthful. When he comes back how should I act? He will expect to see me hurt."

"I don't know, pretend I spanked you." Seth gave his master a look that made him laugh. Did Jacob lose his mind? He was not a petulant child that needs to be dealt with. But for lack of better strategy he would go with the spanking even if it sounded totally ridiculous.

Few minutes later Seth heard Embry's steps in the hallway and climbed off his master's lap. Jake gave him a peck on the lips before the slave kneeled beside his master, doctoring his face to look like he had just been harshly punished. Jacob felt his mouth water when he saw the feast before him. He loved veal and Ed was an artist when it came to that dish. He was impressed until he caught eye of the desert, the sensation could only be described as orgasmic. He hadn't eaten chocolate cake in only God knew how long. It was an item they had to bring from the south and it was a bitch to transport it.

The alpha motioned for Seth to get his bowl and gave him a decent amount of meat and potatoes. He was feeling especially guilty and shared even his cake. He knew Seth had a sweet tooth and it filled him with joy to know that he could at least do something good for him.

"Dog, come bathe me!" Ordered Jacob after they were done with their meal. Seth was lost, he had no idea what was going on through his master's mind, but just the same stood up and followed the dominant into the bathroom. Nerves took over and the slave concentrated in his master's bronzed and muscled upper arms. This did very little to distract him but instead added to his problems when a rush of heat centered inside him.

Jacob slammed the door shut and attacked the sub's lips. The submissive's scent was all the master could smell, all he wanted to smell. His lips felt soft and inviting, they were perfect. Seth twined his arms around his master's neck as he claimed his master's lips with the full force of his desire. They needed the proximity; especially after the earlier incident they needed each other. Their mouths molded perfectly against each other while their tongues explored each other's mouths letting their taste inundate their senses. They savored every little moment like it was their last; in that uncertain world nobody knew if they would see the light of day, especially the submissives. Jacob broke the kiss drawing a shaky breath before moving away from his pup.

He started the shower, adjusting the temperature before moving back towards Seth and dragging him back with him. "Baby I need this and I know you do too; after the mess I made we need this closeness." Jacob's eyes lingered over the green and purple bruises on Seth forearm.

Seth reached up and grasped his master's chin between his thumb and forefinger and forced him to face him. "Stop dwelling in what happened, that's hardly useful. Let's focus on not letting it become a habit." Jacob nodded like a child that had been chastised. He knew very well that it was already a habit; it was time to go cold turkey, to break the cycle of abuse and apology. The alpha was determined to do this.

"I'll do my best baby, I don't know how you can be so forgiving but I'm eternally grateful for that. Let's shower together, the sound of the water will drown any noise and we can be ourselves. After we have fun in there I'll take you to bed and fuck you senseless."

Seth furrowed his eyebrows as he thought of what his master meant. After making love he never wanted to go back to plain and animalistic fucking, especially because he knew that meant a world of pain to him. Jacob got his sub's attention by using his thumb to smooth the crease between his eyes. "Hey I said fuck you senseless but that doesn't mean I will hurt you. Trust me I'll get you nice and ready for me here in the shower." The master licked his lips sensually, action that made the slave blush furiously.

Once inside the shower Jacob pushed the sub to the built-in bench. With the warm water hitting his back he proceeded to use his kisses to create a path that started on the slave's left ear going down his neck, lingering over his heart but avoiding the branding site, licking the contours of Seth's slight abs and migrating south until he found his target. Getting on his knees the master buried his face in the submissive's crotch. Seth couldn't help thinking that he would've never dreamt of having a dominant, much less an alpha, on his knees pleasuring him. This was something that if he told anyone they wouldn't believe him.

Engulfed in his master's skillful mouth the slave forgot who he was and who was before him. They were just two men, two lovers. He threaded his fingers into his master's short locks as his head moved, hot and hungry. The slave's breathing was harsh and heavy. He was extremely grateful they were in the shower where the sound of the jets masked his moans of pleasure. Soon enough Seth's release was slipping down his boyfriend's throat. The slave's face burned red when he caught sight of the humorous glow in his master's eyes. He had not even warned him he was going to cum.

Jake was amused by Seth's bashful attitude and had no choice but to take the slave's mouth with his own. He found it so adorable whenever Seth would blush and every time felt compelled to do something to keep the blush in his cheeks a little bit longer. The slave had never tasted himself and the look in his face revealed what was going through his mind. He hadn't even noticed when he stopped kissing his master and instead was licking his lips. "I know, right?" His master's voice caught his attention and caused a light chuckle to bubble up inside him.

Seth wanted to return the favor and slid to the floor so his master could take the bench. He never made it; two beefy hands held him as they both stood upright. The slave was turned so his back was to his master's chest. Seth understood and placing one knee on the bench offered himself to his master. He knew he had not been prepared but he had taken him like that many times, it hurt like a bitch but didn't kill him. He was surprised when instead of the searing pain he felt something completely new. Jacob was covering his lower back with kisses while running his hand lazily along his crack. Looking over his shoulder he saw his master's head behind him and knew what he was up to. He had done this to other dominants on occasion but it had certainly never been done to him.

"Jake no, please stop." The submissive breathily stated. "This is beneath you, I'm a slave."

"No, you stop. I don't see you as a slave, you're my boyfriend and I want to do this." Even though Jacob understood his submissive thought process he was anxious for him to stop seeing himself as a slave. It was difficult seeing that they needed to keep the charade going and that only strengthened this perception.

"I can't let you…" Stated Seth calmly as he turned and sat down again.

"Why not?" Jacob huffed, annoyed with the absurdity of the situation. If Seth wanted to see himself as a slave he shouldn't go against his master's wishes. If he wanted to lick his ass that was his problem. He didn't see the problem with this; they shouldn't deny any parts of their bodies to each other.

"It's just wrong for you to put your lips on such a dirty part of me." Jacob froze. The double meaning of Seth's words gave him pause. Why had he been so blind as not to see what was happening? For fifteen years his pup had been raped on a daily basis, many days more than once. That was bound to take a toll, he felt his body was dirty but the part of him that had been so used and abused repulsed him. It would take time but Jake would help him love everything about himself.

"Baby look at me." Jacob's voice was soft as velvet and loving as a mother's touch. Seth turned his teary eyes to his master. For the first time since he phased he allowed himself the luxury of crying. Dominants hated it and he spent so much time holding back tears that he could be crying three years in a row and still it wouldn't be enough. "Your body is beautiful, perfect and clean. The only dirty ones are the men who abused you, myself included. I just want to pleasure you; I think you will like it. I know I do and I've never done it to anyone so this will be a first time for both."

Seth thought about his master's proposal for a few minutes while holding Jake's hand. "You really want to do this?" Asked the sub to which his master nodded in affirmation. "I can't deny you anything and the idea of it being the first time for both makes it feel special to me. It will be on my terms though; can you give me a few minutes please?"

Jacob nodded and turned his back to give the submissive privacy. He knew the moment was not completely lost, only sidetracked. The idea of tasting the submissive's most intimate part made his mouth water and his cock spring to attention. Absentmindedly he started stroking himself while he waited. A light tap on his shoulder brought him back to the now. Seth stood before him, head bowed down and nervously rubbing his hands. It was the alpha's turn to lift his lover's face to make him look at him. "Hey, you said earlier that you can't deny me anything but you're wrong, it's the other way around. If you really don't want this I won't force you. I'll take you to bed and make sweet love to you."

Seth took notice of his master's turgid member and touched it feeling it pulse beneath his hand. "I do want this, Jake; I'm embarrassed, that's all. I want to feel your lips and your tongue on me." After he said this he felt his master's cock twitch and he knew his master wanted this as much as he said he did.

Jake loved his slave's modest smile and playful eyes. He always looked that way when he was horny which added to his appeal. The first graze from the alpha's tongue took the submissive by surprise, it was brief and to the point. It was nothing more than a flicker over Seth's sensitive skin, but even though it barely made contact it made the slave's whole form shake as he now knew what was to come and he liked it. The master caressed his tight hole with his lips and tongue, surprising himself when he found himself enjoying it immensely. The sensation of his tongue teasing across the entrance increased the slave's arousal and created an urgency that was almost scary. The slave was producing a sexy pleading sound on the back of his throat while wiggling his ass. Jacob made an occasional visit to the cock and balls of his slave, tasting the pre-cum and feeling the tightness of his sack. The dominant devoured him like he was the most delicious dish ever created, and in a way, he was. Seth took hold of his weeping cock as his master savored that most intimate part of him. The sight of the slave stroking himself and the sounds he was producing fueled the alpha's desire and made him yearn to be deep inside the small wolf. His tongue darted in and out, going deeper each time and effectively loosening his sphincter.

Seth groaned as he pressed his entire body back against his master's tongue like he was trying to impale himself with it. The initial surprise, embarrassment and hesitance a thing of the past, leaving in its place pure lust. The slave shuddered, closing his eyes to concentrate on the sensation produced by his master's tongue inside him. The alpha's cock was more than ready; it was eagerly waiting its turn inside the slave's amazing heat. He couldn't wait any longer and slid his member slowly inside the slave until it disappeared from view. The submissive could feel every inch of his master inside him as he slowly pulled out only to slam back in again. His thickness was perfectly seated inside the sub as he rocked his hips to encourage his master's movements. He got what he wished for when he fervently pounded his ass. The slave's hand was substituted with his master's as he reached around to stroke the slave's cock, getting him closer to his release with each stroke.

The slave griped loudly when his master pulled out of him with not even a warning. He was disappointed and wondered what caused his master to stop all of the sudden. "Puppy we'll finish this on our bed. I really want to look into your eyes when I make love to you and that's impossible here. Well, not impossible, but uncomfortable for you."

"But Embry is out there." Seth was stating the obvious; he was sure his master had not forgotten the other wolf. He wondered what the heck was going on inside his head.

"You follow my lead; I apologize in advance for the things I'll say and for being rougher than lately. When your friend goes back to his master there cannot be a doubt in his mind that I'm treating you poorly." Seth nodded before stepping out of the shower, drying hastily and following his master out of the bathroom.

"Dog, go sit where I can't see your ugly mug." He pointed to the sitting room, watching Embry as he scurried in that direction.

"And what the fuck are you waiting for? A written invitation? Get on that bed whore, now!" Bellowed Jacob.

Seth did as told and went to lie on his stomach; Jake grabbed his hips roughly but without exerting excessive pressure. "On your back" He stated acidly.

He entered Seth in one single movement burying himself to a hilt, action that would've hurt like a bitch if he hadn't prepared the submissive. The slave acted like he hated it, keeping his arms to his sides as he fisted the sheet beneath him. What put the sub's mind at ease was seeing the alpha's playful look. They kept their eyes glued to each other's, as if they didn't things would go back to the way they were. From Embry's spot on the floor all he could see was Jacob charging at the slave like a bloodthirsty bull. His heart ached for his little friend who was getting the second dose of the day, maybe even his third since he didn't know what happened in the bathroom. Jacob would pull out completely only to slam his whole length inside the sub. Unfortunately (under the circumstances) each time Jake would impale Seth his dick would graze the sensitive bundle of nerves inside him. As minutes passed it was getting harder for the slave to keep his composure.

Jake was reaching his completion quickly but staved it off out of pride. He wanted Embry to report he was treating Seth as he always had, what he didn't want was for him to tell Sam he blew his load too soon. He continued to abuse the slave's prostate causing a ripple of desire to go through the sub. Seth forgot who was in the room with them, apparently all his blood had migrated south and his brain was left starving. The submissive allowed a moan to escape his lips without realizing what he did. The master didn't waste time and sealed the sub's mouth with his own and bit the slave's lower lip drawing blood. Seth opened his eyes to find his master pleading with his and running his tongue over his lower lip. "Oh yeah, squeal little pig, you know you like it, all whores do. And if you don't who cares?" The slave understood what happened and mouthed _I'm sorry. _ Luckily for them Embry thought Seth's moan had been of pain and not of pleasure, they were safe for now.

Jacob winked an eye and blew his sub a kiss. Sweat was pouring out of him as he fought for control, a battle that he was losing. With each movement he felt himself closer to the abyss and about to fall down. Seth was close too, even after cumming once before he was ready for as many rounds as his master intended for them to have. But his body had a mind of its own and was demanding release. He mouthed a quick _harder_ to which his master agreed enthusiastically going at a brutal pace that would've killed a normal human. Unable to hold back Seth came hard, the multiple spasms increasing the alpha's pleasure tenfold. A minute later he spilled his seed inside his slave.

They couldn't cuddle, not with a witness around. They both wanted to snuggle to each other and fall asleep in each other's arms but it was not in the stars. "Fuck, you're such a dirty cock loving slut! This is disgusting." Said Jacob as he pulled out of the slave with a loud squelching sound and lied on his back. Immediately, like he had done numerous times in the past Seth climbed off the bed and walked to the bathroom. He even threw a little limping for effect. After the slave got cleaned up he walked back in the room already dressed. He saw Embry chained to the wall and laying on his side facing the wall. Seth blew his master a kiss as he walked past the bed to join his friend on the floor.

The next morning followed the usual routine but the subs were delivered to the kitchen earlier than usual. Edward had requested for assistance in the next two days and specifically asked for the slaves, stating they were the only ones who didn't give him shit and followed his instructions to a T. Jacob didn't even go in the kitchen he was in too much of a hurry, the master just stuck his head in to make sure Ed was in there. The wolves in the kitchen didn't even attempt to hide the effect the slaves had on them and all that could be heard were their lewd comments and rude remarks. Edward warned them against creaming their pants in his kitchen and told them to take their horny selves somewhere else.

As the wolves exited the kitchen, all of them sporting impressive boners, Carlos came in and after greeting Edward moved toward the submissives who were standing together by the sink, afraid of Mike's old master. "This is fucking unfair, Jake gets two subs all to himself while I have to go without. I cannot believe how unreasonable Billy can be when it comes to his son." He moved toward the slaves while Edward watched him, ready to intervene if it became necessary.

"I don't think the old fart even remembers how good it feels to have your cock buried deep inside a warm body. They smell so perfect, ripe for the picking." He got very close to Embry; to the point the sub could feel his hot breath on his skin with every word he said. "Jake placed an alpha order on us and we can't touch his little mutt, but this one is a free for all." The dominant ran the back of his hand over Embry's cheek and ran his fingers through the slave's hair.

"Carlos, they're here to work and you're distracting them. Get the fuck out of here, unlike some people in this house they put in an honest day work. Go lay down under a rock, that's what you do best." Edward was trying to contain his anger; it was not just utter contempt against that particular wolf, it went past their petty differences. He just hated the idea of any wolf mistreating such gentle and defenseless creatures. Even if he didn't want to, he pitied them; they had certainly gotten the shit end of the deal in the gene pool.

Carlos exited the kitchen but not before giving Embry's butt a tight squeeze. "Geez Ed, chill, and you…" He said looking directly at Embry. "I'll see you later." The submissives had lived long enough to know a threat when they saw one and knew that Carlos was a predator. They saw how he drove Mike to take his own life and could only guess all the horrible things he had done to him.

"Don't pay attention to that jerk; he is all bark and no bite. I've never seen such a pathetic use of space in my entire life. So guys, are you hungry?" Edward was trying to distract the slaves who nervously held hands as they leaned against the counter.

"No thank you we're fine, my master fed us." Stated Seth.

"Just this morning? You didn't get any food last night?"

This time it was Embry who answered. "Yes we did sir and it was delicious if I may add. The cake was the best part; I don't remember when was the last time I ate chocolate. Now that I think about it, with the exception of some crumbs I licked from my master's plate I never ate it before." Edward smiled knowingly, he had made that dinner with Jacob in mind. He needed to confirm his suspicions and this gave him plenty of proof. Having so much cattle meant that veal was very easy to come by, but chocolate was not. Like several other items it was a luxury only the very rich got to enjoy. The cacao grew in South America and the process to turn it into chocolate was a long tedious one, making it one of the most sought after items. It they added the logistics of transporting it north it made for a very expensive delicacy. No dominant in his right mind would share a piece of chocolate with a slave; it would be like giving a steak to a pig. Edward could remember some time ago when Jacob had punched Paul for trying to take some cake from him. He could still remember Paul holding his nose trying to get it back in place while still forking pieces of cake into his mouth. He had already gotten hit, might as well get something out of it.

"Ed is everything ok?" Asked Seth concerned.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Answered Edward snapping back to the now.

"You were a thousand miles away and had a funny smirk."

"I just remembered something important. I'm glad Jake shared his food with you. That means I didn't need to keep this slice of cake for you guys." The submissives' eyes widened in a very funny way when they eyed the decadent desert in front of them. Embry extended his hand shyly, silently asking the dominant to relent the dish. Just like the day before Edward observed Embry's simple beauty and felt almost enchanted by him. He wanted to think it was pity, but there was something different. Like a loud bell deep inside him making its annoying sound to wake a part of him that had been asleep for decades.

"By the way Seth, what happened to your lip?" While looking at the submissives' expressions Ed caught sight of the almost healed bite mark on Seth's lip. At first he thought it must've been Jake but remembered that he was almost certain that Jake had feelings for his slave.

"My master…" Seth's voice trailed off, he hated lying and was really awful at it.

"You know what? I don't want to know." It was obvious to him that the slave was trying to come up with a convincing explanation and was failing miserably. He decided to put him out of his misery and drop the subject.

Edward assigned a task to each submissive and got to work. He couldn't make much progress since he had to keep sending away every dominant that came in the kitchen attracted by the subs' scent. Even though he didn't engage in that behavior he was embarrassed for the dominants hyper sexed sick obsession with the subs. He felt sorry for the small wolves every time their hearts would accelerate because of the fear inspired by the dominants. The cook made a point to make their work enjoyable, allowing them to indulge in every tasty bite they wanted. At the moment there was very little he could do for them, he hoped for that to change in the future. For now he did his bit to make at least their present a happy one.

Edward was amused by the interactions between the two friends; they were like little puppies stretching their legs for the first time. He had never had the pleasure of spending so much time with any submissive, much less two. They were truly fascinating. Seth had a quiet strength that shone when he would let his guard down. The cook could only compare it to the alpha's authority. The slave he had before him and the one that came to the manor were two very different men. That sub wouldn't even breathe without a dominant's permission; the one he was looking at had a cute laugh and mischievous eyes.

Embry was more like a scared little mouse, his sweet smile and the sadness within his eyes in sharp contrast. He wanted to believe his smile and think his life was not horrible. Unfortunately he knew his eyes were true, they had the dull pain of one who has cried more tears than there was water in the ocean. Edward hated Sam and all the dominants that made him look so sad. They dished pain and sorrow on a daily basis directed at the small wolf, but their biggest crime was taking the light away from his eyes.

"Ed why are we making so much food?"

"Billy wants to treat the wolves to a barbeque. This is the time of the year when we start running out of steam. There is just so much to do and not enough people to do it. Every man is doing the work of three and still it's not enough." Edward was being very chatty, something very uncommon on him.

"Is that why the house looks so empty?"

"Yep, some like Quil for example don't come home for days. He has been dying to go on a quest for months; he is itching to check a new lead." Both men realized Embry was as lost as a blind man in a house of mirrors and brought him into the conversation.

"Quil is another wolf who happens to be as nice as Edward. He has a very good reason to never hurt a sub." Explained Seth being very discreet with the information Quil told him in confidence. Embry nodded in understanding, he was tempted to ask what the reason was, but his enslaved mind wouldn't even consider it.

Later that afternoon the two slaves returned to their room to tidy up before Jacob got there. He was again supposed to come home late and they didn't want to tempt fate by welcoming him with a messy room. Dinner was running late and Edward offered to bring their food when it was ready. The subs were halfway done with their chores when a knock on the door called their attention. They were hungry and couldn't wait to sink their teeth into the chicken Embry had seasoned earlier. Both men went to the door but trusting it was Edward didn't ask who it was… big mistake.

"Ha! Such eager bitches, I told you I would see you later didn't I? Come now." Carlos grabbed Embry's arm painfully before roughly pushing Seth back in the room making him fall on his behind. He slammed the door closed and took off dragging his new victim. It took Seth a minute for the shock to wear off, what could he do? His master was not coming home until much later and he didn't know who else would go against Carlos. Being Jacob's godfather entitled him with a multitude of benefits. That was the main reason why while the other wolves worked from sunup to sundown he spent most of his day finding the most comfortable place to nap.

Seth started pacing in his room trying to think what to do. He wouldn't succeed in getting his friend away from Carlos and most likely would get both of them killed if he tried. Then it dawned on him, Edward was an alpha. It didn't matter that he gave up that title years ago, once an alpha always an alpha, it was a lifelong deal. The slave ran to the kitchen in search of his friend but even before he entered he knew the cook was not there. There were two wolves in the kitchen, but neither one of them was his friend. He tried to remember where Ed's room was located but wasn't able to. Embry's welfare depended on Seth's gift. He scented the air and followed Ed's trail as fast as he could ending up in front of his door in matter of minutes.

"Edward, it's me Seth, are you there?"

"Seth what's going on? What the heck are you doing here?." Questioned Edward surprised by Seth's impromptu visit.

"Carlos took Embry." That was all he needed to say. Edward moved so fast he became a blur. Before bolting down the hallway he told Seth to go back to the room, he would take care of it.

The cook struggled with keeping his alpha wolf under wraps. He was beyond pissed and out for blood. He blamed himself for not seeing more into Carlos words and detecting the threat in them. But all the guilt riddled thoughts had to wait, before he could finish the thought he was standing before Carlos door shaking in anger. "OPEN!" He screamed while banging on the door with his closed fist.

"I'll rip the fucking door from its frame and _you _will have to explain to Billy and Jacob why I did it!" He heard a groan and the sound of steps getting closer to the door.

"What do you want, I'm busy." Without bothering with a warning Edward pushed the door open all the way, the hinges making a loud cracking sound as one of them broke. Carlos was able to catch himself before he fell on the hard floor. He took a step back obviously intimidated by the uncommon show of power the cook displayed.

Edward could swear he heard his spirit weep when he caught sight of Embry's naked form on top of Carlos bed. He had a black eye and blood trickling down his neck from a busted lip. He wanted blood; he hadn't felt that uncontrollable desire to kill since Benjamin died. Turning to look at Carlos, who cowardly kept his distance, he willed himself to calm down before he would lose it and rid the Earth of that pathetic excuse for a man. "I want him" Said the cook pointing to Embry.

"You'll have to wait your turn, when I'm done I'll send him your way." Thinking that Edward was remaining calm out of fear infused Carlos with enough boldness to go against the alpha's wishes.

"I think I didn't make myself clear enough, I'm taking that slave and walking out of here."

"No can do, I didn't fuck him yet." Carlos had to be the biggest idiot in the universe, going against a furious wolf, an alpha of all people. There was only one explanation, he had a death wish, nobody was that stupid.

"Even better, I hate the idea of getting your sloppy seconds." Stated Edward as he moved to the bed and taking Embry's hand pulled him to his feet.

Carlos stepped in their way as they walked to the door. "I said I want to fuck him." He pushed Edward's shoulder back without making him move one millimeter.

"What if I wanna fuck him, huh?" Stated Edward to Embry's surprise. He didn't mean it; he was simply just sinking to the coward's level because he was just so damn tired of this shit. He didn't want to have to explain himself and most certainly he didn't want to lecture the wolf because it would ultimately get him nowhere, so he just acted like that any dominant because it was easier to be a brainless knob.

"Oh please everyone here knows all the action your cock has seen in years comes from your right hand. Tsk Tsk such a shame, when the westerners ripped Benjamin to shreds they really did you a disservice." The last word had not completely left Carlos lips when Edward's fist shot out, hitting him square in the face. The punch landed on the perfect spot to break his nose and for his own teeth to rip open his lips. Carlos heard the crunch as his nose broke and saw a flash of stars before he tasted the blood in his mouth, the dull heavy pain settling in his nose.

They walked out of the room leaving Embry's clothes behind. The cook would take a few steps forward and stop before continuing. His wolf was howling loudly, he wanted to deal with the cruel wolf in the most primitive way possible. Edward logic and human side fought against it, he wouldn't soil his hands with Carlos miserable blood. Thinking it was not a good idea to parade Embry naked around the house Edward took him to his room to give him something to wear. Upon entering his room the submissive shook in fear thinking that he went from one cruel wolf to another. The only difference being that for some unexplainable reason he didn't mind being with the cook as much as he did with anyone else.

The submissive had to admit to himself he was disappointed. He had thought Edward might be different than other doms. The cook left in the direction of the bathroom leaving Embry by himself. The submissive heard a hiss coming from the bathroom and walked in that direction to see if he could help. Edward turned to look at the sub who was standing quietly by the door. "It's nothing; I think I broke my thumb on that fucker's face. Takes a lot of force to damage a wolf's face, but it was worth it don't you think?"

Without answering, Embry walked towards Edward who had wrapped his hand in a towel after washing the blood off. Unwrapping the hand he revealed the swollen digit, observing the bruising pattern already forming. "Yes it is definitely broken, but I can help." The submissive placed his hand over the thumb. Edward felt like his skin was burning but it was bearable. What disappeared gradually was the pulsing pain leaving behind only a trace of it.

"How did you do that?" It was Edward's turn to be astonished; he had never seen such a display.

"I'm a healer." Answered Embry fearfully, he didn't really know where he stood when it came to the dominant.

Embry was unable to contain a small giggle when Edward kept looking from him to his thumb and back to him. The submissive followed Ed as he sat on the bed still trying to wrap his mind around the slave's confession. The young wolf stood quietly beside the dominant waiting for his ruling. "So you can heal people by just touching them?"

"Depends on the nature of the injury. If it's very serious and life threatening I can help by lessening the pain and doing my best to keep them alive. Anything else I can pretty much help manage, broken bones are my specialty. I've had a lot of practice with fractures." Edward almost asked the stupid question of the day before he caught himself. He guessed Embry practiced on himself, he wished he would be wrong but that was not very likely.

"That's amazing." Stated Edward distractedly. "Do all subs have gifts like yours?"

"I've only met a handful of subs, I only know of one that has a special talent, but it's different from mine."

"Seth right?" Embry nodded truthfully. "What's his talent?"

"I think I've said too much." The submissive was afraid his big mouth would get his friend in trouble.

"I'll respect your loyalty to your friend. You can sit next to me you know." Embry nervously took the spot to Edward's left. Nothing good ever came out of having a sub on a dominant's bed. The cook heard the sub's heart race and grabbed his hand to comfort him, running his good thumb over the slave's knuckles slowly. In all honesty he wanted to touch Embry, not in a sexual way of course, just feel the warmth of his skin. The slave tensed up and Ed was about to ask him if he minded that he was touching him but stopped when he realized that the sub would never answer honestly. Slaves were hardwired to please dominants, going against their own well-being on many occasions.

He knew this was very dangerous territory, he liked Embry. The alpha knew that was bad on itself, he could be the cause for the slave's demise. Not only that, he knew it would hurt him a lot when Embry died… and he will, they all do. He wanted to promise Embry he would save him. That he would be his knight in shining armor and whisk him away from the misery that was his life. But he couldn't promise such a thing, he wished he could. History was against him; all his attempts at helping submissives had backfired proving the feat futile.

"Edward why did you go get me?"

"Because I'm an idiot who cares too much. I'm trying not to care, at the end we'll both get hurt when this ends badly." Embry wondered what Ed meant by this. "Unlike you and Seth, I'm a weak wolf that doesn't deal with hurt well. I won't forget you when go back to Sam's. I wish there was something I could do. I want to promise you salvation but I'm not even sure if I can save myself." The dominant wished Embry would save him from his loneliness but knew it was impossible.

Embry slipped down to the floor and knelt before the cook. He was lost, he didn't want to be forgotten about and he wanted to be with Sam even less. "Edward, you _can_ save me. If there is an ounce of kindness in your heart don't send me back to my master. Give me in death the dignity I didn't have in life."

Edward was taken aback by the slave's proposition. He moved his head from side to side in negation as his only answer. "Please Ed, I'm begging you. I'm too much of a coward to do it myself. I want death to take the place of torture! Please!" The slave screamed to the top of his lungs, demanding death as an escape from his horrible life.

Edward picked the submissive up, placing him on his lap. He couldn't help notice that the slave was light as a feather and could only guess how many nights he went to bed hungry. He held the slave close, absentmindedly cleaning every tear from the sub's face. He contemplated whether or not he could go through with it. Could he kill Embry? Death would be the lesser of two evils. He knew what awaited him in Sam's house and it hurt him more than he cared to admit. The alpha tucked a kiss in the slave's hair before placing his hand flat against the side of the slave's face. If he snapped his neck quick enough Embry wouldn't feel a thing. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Seconds passed and he had not been able to make his hand move.

"I'm sorry Em I can't; I just don't have it in me." A deep sob erupted from the slave's throat as he wept against the dominant's chest. He wanted to go, he was ready for it. Edward held him tightly against his chest as he rocked him gently. He said the last thing he thought would ever pass his lips. He was not a man of faith; he had lost it a long time ago. But he was willing to have faith and hope, even dream a little. "Embry don't cry, I'll save you. That's a promise."


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello! I want to apologize for taking so long to update. Without going into detail I can tell you I have a very valid reason for the delay. But that's in the past; I hope you enjoy another extra-long chapter. Thanks to all those who are still following the story, also the ones who saved it as a favorite and especially to those who reviewed. Please never hesitate to send me any messages, your support and encouragement is crucial. **

**I want to give a shout-out to two authors. FreeSpirit15 is new to fan fiction, please check out his one shot We're family. It's a Jacob/Seth story, very fluffy and sweet as it follows the tale of how the boys became a family. He is very enthusiastic and has many great ideas. This is his first story so he would love some encouragement and support. **

**The second is to my good friend Ratts, she posted a new Edward/Jacob story titled The Sun and the Moon. I know we all love those two. It's another alternate reality story. Edward is a narcissistic plantation owner who owns slaves (humans) to man the fields and pets (wolves) to protect his land. Drama ensues when a very disobedient Jacob arrives on the plantation**.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 24**

It had been one long hot summer day, the kind every shapeshifter hated. Jacob and the rest of the group made their way to the house for dinner and much needed rest. Jacob was trying to get to know his new wolf. It had been quite a feat to make his father agree to give him the wolf without telling him the real reasons behind the request. The alpha needed to know what made the wolf tick; he already knew the strengths and weaknesses of each one of his wolves. It was Eric's turn in the hot seat.

Both men walked in the kitchen only to find total chaos. The place looked like something had exploded inside a tornado spinning out of control. "Where the hell is Edward? This place is a disgrace!"

"No idea, when we got here dinner was ready but Ed was nowhere to be seen and he hasn't come back yet." Answered Jared while spooning disgustingly huge amounts of food into his plate.

It was perplexing; Edward took his duties very seriously and was not known for taking off without telling someone. Jacob was thinking of going to his father to ask him if he knew of Ed's whereabouts when it dawned on him. The only reason he could see for the cook to disappear without a trace was if he was either hurt which was not very likely or that he left with… oh no.

Jacob dropped the plate he was holding, the loud crashing sound getting the attention of all the men present. The wolves exchanged looks as he ran out of the kitchen. He took the stairs two steps at a time in his frantic race to reach his room. His mind was at war with itself; he trusted Seth with his life but also knew that what his heart desired above all else was his freedom. The master was well aware of Ed's machinations to take the slave away from him forever. Not much happened in the manor without Jake knowing about it, or at least that's what he thought.

He shook his head from side to side almost making himself dizzy; he needed to disperse those thoughts. There was no chance in hell his pup would take off without saying goodbye. Unfortunately as that thought exited his mind a different one even scarier flooded his brain. What if somebody tried to hurt Seth and Ed tried to help? While he was out working, his reason for existing could've been dying, fading slowly as life was drained from his body. This thought made his legs buckle under him and his chest felt tight like somebody was squeezing him.

Jacob refused to accept any of the torturous ideas his brain was providing. Seth was fine; he knew it, the sub would be in his room waiting for him and welcoming him home with his beautiful smile and loving embrace. It seemed as hours had passed but it was a little over a minute when he arrived to his door. After jiggling the doorknob he realized the door was locked and he didn't have the keys. "Seth, Seth, open the damn door!" The master's voice cracked with the last word. It was unbelievable what the fear of losing his pup did to him; it turned him into a pile of mush.

The alpha breathed a sigh of relief when the petite form of his slave opened the door. Seth stepped back as his master barged in. The sharp intake of air revealed how his master's appearance shocked him. His eyes looked like they would bulge out of his head, his lower jaw shook slightly and his chest heaved with every breath he took. Slamming the door closed he pulled the slave into his arms hugging him so hard it was almost painful. "You're ok, you're here, everything is fine." Jacob sounded like he was talking to the submissive when in reality he was talking to himself. He was trying to calm his racing thoughts and get a grip on his mind.

Several minutes passed before the master was calm enough to push himself away from the slave and look at him. It was then when he noticed Seth's sad puppy eyes looked glassy, his eyelids puffy and his nose was red. "What happened, baby?" Jacob had to put his own internal turmoil aside to take care of his boyfriend's needs. Seth was his priority and will always be.

"Carlos took Embry; I asked Edward for help but haven't heard from them in a couple of hours. I went to look for him but the house was crawling with dominants and it would make matters worse if one of them took me too. I'm so scared, what if Carlos…" Seth couldn't finish the sentence as a heartbreaking sob that seemed to come directly from his soul left him unable to continue. Jacob cradled him in his arms wishing he could take away every single tear the sub had shed throughout his life.

"Please pup calm down, let me go check. Edward is way stronger and more skilled than Carlos; if it came to a fight he would wipe the floor with him." Jacob picked up the slave and walking to one of the sofas in the sitting area sat down with the slave on his lap. The master was not worried about the cook; he was truthful in what he told Seth. What he feared was that Embry was no longer among the living. When it came to slaves Sam, Carlos and him were ruthless. He thought how his old self would've treated the slave and knew that the worst was a big possibility.

"Jake please let me go with you; I'll be quiet and act as your slave. I need to see my friend, whether he is alive or not I need to be with him." Jacob nodded before wiping Seth's tears with the pad of his thumb and setting him on his feet.

They went a different way to Edward's room, it was a tad longer but it avoided the great room altogether. Not that any wolf could lay a paw on Seth, but they were anxious to find Embry's whereabouts and to achieve that they needed to avoid unnecessary delays. Upon arriving to the hallway where the cook's room was located the sub could already feel the knot he had in his stomach since the moment Carlos took Embry begin to loosen. The slave not only detected his friend's scent but heard two strong heartbeats. Of course Jacob was unaware of this; his senses were not even remotely close to Seth's.

"They are both in there master." Jacob paused to look at Seth who smiled at him.

"How do you know?"

"I detected Embry's scent and I can hear two heartbeats." Stated Seth matter-of-factly.

Jacob was in awe; no matter how much he tried he couldn't find Sam's mutt scent in the air. "You are truly amazing." He looked at his pup with admiration and respect in his eyes.

The master knocked on the door and listened for movement inside the room. A tired looking Edward opened the door and quietly invited them in. Seth walked in behind his master trying to look around him to find his friend. When his eyes landed on the naked body on Edward's bed he felt his heart constrict inside his chest. Not minding either of the two dominants he walked to the bed where his friend laid.

"He is ok now; it took me a little while to help him calm down. He is exhausted and fell asleep in my arms."

"How bad is it Ed?" Questioned Jacob.

"Not as bad as it could've been but still bad enough. Carlos broke his nose and busted his lip because he claimed that Embry sucked at giving head. At least he didn't take his ass, I'm sure he would've hurt him badly."

Jacob took a few steps towards Edward's bed to be near Seth. He knew how much it was affecting the slave to see his only friend in that condition. All the master wanted to do was surround him with his arms and comfort him, even though he couldn't. He pretended not to be affected by the sight of the slave's tears as they slid down his face but he was crushed. He cursed the world, he cursed the pandemic and he cursed every dominant that took part in the abuse of submissives, himself included. His little pup cried silently, his shoulders shaking with every breath and chocked sobs. His tears were like unspoken words that judged the actions of every dominant that ever lived. They carried with them the emotion and helplessness he felt.

The alpha had been so busy hating Embry that he hadn't seen what was right before his eyes. He was extremely jealous of the slave for many reasons. Seth cared about his friend like Jacob wished somebody would care about him. Jacob knew it was not a sexual attraction; their spirits were pure even though they had been soiled by the dominant's cruelty. He took inventory of the slave's naked body and saw the markings of one that had been through hell. The master could picture him going through the same initiation as Seth. He could see him starving and cold like his pup had been on so many occasions. Jake felt a little something that was an awful lot like sympathy. The two submissives were different men but their circumstances were identical.

Jacob was in agony when the realization that the man in Edward's bed could've been his sub. In a way he was, Seth was reliving the many times he had been through the same ordeal. But what made the situation especially scary was that nothing prevented this from still happening to his slave. It was not a matter of being given his freedom, even as a free man he could still be at the mercy of any dominant. As long as prejudice against submissives was still prevalent his Seth wouldn't be safe. The master needed to come up with a plan to protect him until the day slavery was abolished in that land or until his pup could be transported to a safe place. He couldn't be arrogant about it, he needed help and sooner rather than later. The question was if he could trust any dominant with the most important part of him, the part where his soul resided, his Seth.

"Ok wake him up so we can go. I'm starving." Seth motioned to shake Embry awake when Edward grabbed his arm to stop him, earning him a growl from the alpha. They both turned to look at him, the slave with concern and the cook with a smug expression that Jacob wished he could knock off his face.

"It took himself forever to settle and fall asleep. Let him sleep here, I'll bring him with me to the kitchen in the morning." Jacob eyed the cook with a guarded expression. He never thought Edward would be interested in having a slave so close to him; then again the cook was full of surprises. Not long ago his own slave had shared Ed's bed when he was so intoxicated his own father was certain he would dispose of him that night. The alpha would be eternally thankful to Quil for suggesting it in the first place. More importantly he didn't really want his pup in the kitchen ever again, there was too much temptation and if any of the dominants could circumvent the alpha order, his slave would be in deep trouble. Then again, Carlos had taken Embry from the room so it didn't really matter where a sub was, a dominant would find him like a dog would find a bitch in heat.

"Suit yourself, let's go dog." Jacob couldn't even bring himself to make his insults convincing. He didn't have it in him anymore.

Before leaving Seth took off his shirt earning a strange look from the dominants. What he did next warmed the hearts of the two other men in the room. He laid the tattered piece of cloth over his friend, covering him the best he could. "He may get cold during the night."

"Fuck, I forgot submissives can get cold." Hissed Edward while retrieving something from the closet. The instant he turned a huge grin spread over his face. The alpha had surrounded the younger wolf with his strong arms and held him very close. His face rested on top of the slave's head, he was letting his guard down. Jacob had no choice, he needed help protecting the pup and Edward was not only the most capable one but the best choice. Seth on the other hand looked utterly terrified. Had his master lost his mind?

"About darn time Jake, welcome back." Edward's comment didn't make much sense to either man but the cook knew exactly what he meant. For years he had seen the young man he saw grow up turn from a proud and brave wolf to a cowardly son of a bitch with no redeeming qualities. He wanted to pretend that Jacob left many years before, leaving in his place a soulless monster and just came back home kicking the beast out of their lives forever. He wanted to welcome him back with open arms. More than anything he was happy for Billy; they had spent countless nights trying to come up with ways to manage Jake's anger. Edward never agreed to the Aleph catering to his son's lustful needs and always advised him against continuing to provide him with submissives. Unfortunately for Jake's victims Billy had one weakness, his son, he would do anything to give him some happiness as ephemeral as it would be.

"Seth calm down you're gonna get a nosebleed. After our conversation this morning I was certain there was something going on between you two."

The slave lifted his eyes and Jake could see the panic in his steely pools. "Master I swear I didn't say anything incriminating, I was really careful."

"Baby call me Jake, he knows already."

"Did you just call him baby? Oh man you are one sappy fool." Edward's smirk turned into an all-out grin. Jacob was deliberately trying to avoid looking at the cook or he would be very tempted to punch him, not hard, just a little to get him to stop making fun of him. The master felt vulnerable, he hated feeling weak and the small man in his arms was his biggest weakness. Edward on the other hand knew he would have enough material to torture the alpha for at least a few days.

"Fuck you Ed." Embry stirred in his sleep making the men in the room tense up and move away from the bed. "I need your discretion, he doesn't know." Whispered Jake as they stood by the door.

"That's a good thing; you have to be careful when it comes to Sam. I don't trust him."

"You and me both. Ed I have a request to make. It's very important and I hope you will say yes. Will you help me protect him?" Seth had his arms around his master's middle with his face resting on his wide chest. Edward couldn't help thinking that he had never such a perfect match. Yes they were polar opposites in every possible way, but that also made them complementing pieces of the game of life.

"It'll be my honor, we'll be his protectors." Edward's affirmation carried with it a heavy meaning filled with pride. In the era of men the wolf packs came to be so they could be protectors of the reservations, keeping all their brothers and sisters safe from the cold ones. It was an honor to be considered a protector and even though Seth was only one man the significance still stood. To the cook it was even more important, maybe this would be his chance to do something that mattered so he could join Benjamin in the afterlife. Jacob and Edward shook hands making peace for the first time in decades. The slave was witnessing something short of a miracle; two alphas were agreeing to protect a slave, the slime of society. He felt honored but unworthy, nobody should put their lives and well-being on the line for someone like him, it was stupid.

There was something Seth wanted to ask from the moment Ed said he knew about them. "Ed what gave us away?"

Edward chuckled lightly. "It was a combination of things, first off look at you; I've never seen a healthier looking sub. You have no bruises, even though the one on your arm and the bloody lip was a nice touch. Then there were the questions."

"What questions?" It was Jake's turn to be curious.

"I asked Seth about your trip, you two had nothing to do in the Finger Lakes region; that was the first clue. I asked how you treated them when Embry arrived, and what you fed them, the answers to both questions told me there was something out of the ordinary. Then there was the chocolate. You're fucking selfish when it comes to chocolate and you shared not only with Seth but with Embry too. You're going to have to be less obvious, man. I hate to say this but Seth needs to look like a slave." What Edward meant became painfully obvious. Jacob's subs always looked like shit; they were either starving or so swollen you could hardly recognize them half the time.

"I will not hit him, never again." Jacob lifted Seth's face to speak directly to him, it was a promise written in blood over his heart. Seth trusted his master but also knew that the pressure would be immense, it could make him break. The good thing was that regardless of his actions the alpha meant well and the slave was at the point of trusting every word that came out of his mouth without questioning it.

"We don't have to decide anything now, we'll figure it out. Don't worry about Embry he'll be fine. Seth now is my turn to ask you something. What's your gift?"

"I'm a tracker, that's how I found your room today and how I found Sophia. I guess I'm more like a golden retriever than a wolf." Stated Seth with humor in his voice.

"Jake, did any of your previous subs have gifts?" Edward was honestly curious, if the subs had gifts that made them special it would be a good argument against slavery. Then again maybe the council already knew that and decided that legal annihilation of the group was better than accepting the possibility that they might be superior. It was an intriguing thought that filled Edward with fear for the future of mankind.

"I'm ashamed to say this but most never made it past the point where I could find out anything about them. Shit most of them died before I even learned their names. I guess it made it easier for me to get rid of them if they were anonymous pieces of meat." Jake stopped talking when he noticed Seth had a strange look in his face.

"Jake, is that why you didn't ask me my name until after Mike died? You were going to kill me so soon?" Jake felt his legs give under him at the mere thought of what could've happened. Of course he was going to kill Seth; he hated everything that the sub stood for. Seth's tone was not accusatory in any way; he was just saddened by the fact. He would've gone to the eternal sleep without knowing how it felt to love someone. He would've left this Earth without knowing the strength that only a true mate can instill in you, how it can make you more courageous, how it can make you a better person. How it can turn a horrible beast into a gentle loving creature.

The master held on to the slave tightly, if he didn't he could topple down. His thoughts were going a thousand miles per minute, for so long all he felt was hate and hostility. He took out his anger at the subs since he was too much of a coward to end the life of who he really hated… himself. "I killed all my subs…" He couldn't continue, if he did he would make a spectacle of himself. His spirit carried the heavy burden of a shameful past. His rapid decline started with his mother's death and it snowballed from there getting bigger and bigger until it turned into an unmanageable mountain. His guilt began a cycle of anger, regret, sadness and bitterness that never ended.

"Hey stop, I can't read minds but I know what's going on in yours. Guilt and regret are a useless feelings, they don't change anything; they just make you miserable. I'm happy you learned my name and that I'm still here." As always Seth's words, as simple as they were, had a deep impact on the dominants. Both alphas were in awe at the slave's wisdom, it went beyond his years; maybe it was another one of his gifts.

"He is right Jake, now get out of here and feed Seth I'm sure he didn't have any dinner yet." Jacob and Seth exited the room. Jacob left his submissive in the room and went to the kitchen to find some dinner for both of them. There was not much left but what he got he was more than happy to share with the slave.

That night was the first one in a long time they didn't make love. At first Seth tried to get his master all riled up since he still had the slave's mentality and wanted to please him. Jacob turned him down each time, he understood the slave's way of thinking and until he understood his place in the relationship it was his responsibility to remind him. Instead of any sex related act they talked, their subjects went from the most sublime to the most mundane. Anything to keep the slave's mind away from his friend's misfortune and prevent him from reliving situations from his past. Jake knew his slave was deeply affected by what happened to Embry. Seth was used to all the cruelty that surrounded the slaves but he was always the object of the cruel situations. He felt in his own skin the merciless quality of most dominants but being a witness to the end result of his best friend getting brutalized was pure torture. The slave was extremely grateful for his master's understanding; he had been supportive and loving. The next morning found them in each other's arms, the way they wanted to spend the rest of their lives.

The instant Seth walked in the kitchen his eyes went directly to his friend. The bruises on his face were almost gone and his nose was not swollen anymore. Embry definitely healed faster than the average wolf. The rude comments died and the wolves scurried away like roaches when Jacob came in. He had been stopped by one of the servants and left the slave by himself for only a few minutes, but this was enough time for the dominants in the kitchen to throw lewd comments at the small wolf. With the last wolf exiting the space Seth ran to his friend and hugged him. The submissives' peck on the lips would always irk Jacob but he was less bothered by it now. He didn't know if it was because he was used to it by now or that he saw Embry in a different light.

"Everything ok Jake?" Asked Edward.

"Yeah, dad wants to talk to me. I have a pretty good idea what's it all about." Jake directed his gaze towards Embry who didn't even notice, too distracted talking to Seth in an almost imperceptible voice. "What time do you want me to come get them?"

"I hoped they could stay and help during the barbeque." Answered Edward wondering if the previous night had been nothing but a show.

"There's no way I'll leave them here with all the vultures flying around them. It was locked in a room and you saw what happened. Sam will have my left nut if something happened to his bitch; these things are not easy to come by these days." Ed understood the hidden message under Jacob's words and nodded in understanding.

The slaves peeled, sliced and diced enough food to feed a small army and were picked up by Jacob halfway through the afternoon and locked in the room. Both men were disappointed for not being allowed to stay but understood very well the reason behind it and were grateful for having at least a semblance of protection in the master's room. They could hear the music and their mouths watered with the aroma of the meat cooking over an open fire.

"Quil when did you get back?" Greeted Jacob.

"This morning, I can't wait for harvest to end. I got a few good leads I want to follow. I know what you're gonna say, it's a long shot but hope is the last thing one should lose, right?"

"We have a lot of work but the world will not end because you leave for a little while. I know how important this is for you." Quil looked at his alpha like he had grown a second head, eliciting a chuckle from the wolf. He wondered what the hell was going on with Jacob, he seemed the same but different somehow. He couldn't put his finger on it.

"Thanks man, I don't know what or who is happening but whatever it is has all my gratitude." Jacob slapped his friend on the shoulder and walked away to talk to his father snickering at the sight of the faint bruise in Carlos face.

Earlier Billy had questioned Jacob about the reasons behind Edward's actions. Jake tried to put his father's mind at ease by telling him he had ordered the cook to keep an eye on the sub and held him responsible for anything happening to him, but failed miserably. The Aleph didn't seem to entirely swallow his side of the story. For starters it was unheard for Edward to ever accept orders from Jacob; he would chew off his paw first. He wouldn't question his son thought, every day he saw how the little boy he lost was returning home. His eyes were regaining the innocence and sparkle they lost so long ago. His smile was wider and more importantly, real.

By the time the last guest showed up the party was at full swing. The summer serenade of the cicadas was drowned by the music coming from the makeshift band that had assembled in the yard. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood, especially Billy. Even Carlisle who was known by all as a sourpuss was laughing while having a lively conversation with several guests. The aroma coming off the food was enough to make the mouth of every person present water.

Back in the room the two submissives peeked out the window at all the activity two stories down. They wished that for once they would be normal men. Free to come and go as they pleased, free to enjoy life and especially free to love. "C'mon Embry get away from the window before they see you. The last thing we need is a bunch of sex starved wolves to come barging in here."

Reluctantly Embry walked away from the window dragging his feet on the cold tiles. "The music sounds really good; they must be having a blast."

"Brother even if we were allowed down there we would still be miserable, I really don't appreciate being groped by a different man every two minutes. Anyway stop your bellyaching, you're bringing me down and I'm in a good mood today." Truth be told Seth felt the same way his friend did, maybe even more so. After all his boyfriend was mingling among all the other dominants while he was locked in that small prison. For Embry's sake he plastered a big smile on his face and acted like it was not affecting him. If he could show his friend a good time it would make his day, fuck it would make his year. Then it dawned on him, it was utterly ridiculous but at least it would give them a good laugh. "Embry, dance with me"

Of course Embry looked at him like he had lost his mind. He couldn't stay serious when Seth started swaying his hips from side to side while moving his arms in accordance with the music. Immediately two things became obvious, one that Seth couldn't dance to save his life and two that he gave a shit about it. He was determined to have a good time and if all it took was for him to make a fool out of himself so be it, that's what he would do. Embry shrugged his shoulders and joined his friend in the most uncoordinated dance ever and had a great time doing it.

The two slaves were doing dance steps that resembled more a drunk martial arts fight than a real dance. Their laughter could be heard all the way down the hall. For that short period of time they were not slaves, they were not submissives, they were two friends having fun. A loud knock on the door made them stop in their tracks and the smiles to disappear from their faces. The memories from the previous night came flooding in making them tremble.

"Guys open, is me Quil." Seth let go of the breath he was holding and moved to open the door but was held back by Embry. The small wolf was terrified, his eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears. He kept shaking his head from side to side, silently begging Seth not to open the door.

"Don't worry Em, Quil is like Edward, he is a good guy." Seth grabbed the hand Embry had placed on his arm to stop him and squeezed it lightly. He needed to reassure his friend that at least for now he was safe. Embry chose to trust his friend, if Seth said this wolf was a good person then it must be true.

Quil walked in carrying a tray overflowing with food and treats for the two slaves. At the sight of such a wonderful buffet their mouths watered and their bellies growled loudly. The dominant was very satisfied, he had no boy scout pretenses, he only knew it was the decent thing to do. It was almost impossible for him to enjoy food knowing that the slaves were probably hungry. It had been hard enough to pry away the food from the other wolves. What proved to be even harder was navigating around Jacob so he wouldn't notice what was happening. Quil was certain that at one point the alpha looked directly at him while he was gathering the food but was grateful when Jake looked away. Thankfully Edward had foreseen how complicated it could be and he set aside a plate with desert. There were many things the wolves were good for and one of them was one thing they excelled at, sniffing food. If there was a tasty dish available somewhere they would find it.

The slaves placed the tray on the floor and sat comfortably resting their backs on the wall. Quil was tempted to tell them to come to the table but decided against it. The subs were given enough orders as it was; he was not going to add another one. Instead he sat across of them earning a playful glare from Seth when he stole a rib from the plate. "How's the party Quil?" Asked Seth.

"Same as always, tons of food, good music and plenty of wolves in one room to enjoy both. I only noticed one difference, unlike other years your master is not drunk out of his mind and cursing everybody to hell. Now that I think about it, he was not even drinking alcohol. He always uses these occasions to get plastered and today is an exception. Seth, do you happen to know what's going on with him? He's always been sort of an oddball but he's different now." It was not Quil's intention to out Seth in front of Embry, for one so old sometimes he was a little dimwitted. The slave remained quiet and motionless, too afraid of getting caught. The slave's eyes drifted slightly towards Embry, action that didn't escape Quil and he decided to drop the subject.

"What were you two doing when I got here? You were both flushed and sweaty, were you cleaning?" If anybody else found two men alone in a room looking the way the subs did the first thing in their minds would be sex. But Quil knew better, if there was no dominant in the room sex would be the last thing in their minds.

"Nope, we were dancing." Answered Embry, his words coming out mumbled as he downed a slice of the cake Seth had baked earlier; he licked his fingers before continuing. "It was fun, I've never danced before. We suck big time but it doesn't really matter."

Seth surprised the other two men when he jumped to his feet and extended his small hands to them. "Em stand up Quil is going to dance with us."

"No no no I don't dance. You just want to make fun of me. After I brought you food and everything, this is the thanks I get?" Quil's act was not convincing anyone. At the end he surrendered and joined the smaller wolves in their crazy celebration. Before he even realized it he was enjoying himself, his laughter only rivaled by that of the subs. Their laughter filled his heart with joy and delighted his spirit.

At one point the sun was in Quil's eyes and through the haze he saw as Embry was transformed into his brother. For a brief moment he felt connected to Albert and the most over joyous sensation fed his starving soul. "Albert" He said as he extended his hand to run it through Embry's hair. The sub recoiled from the touch changing position and bringing the dominant back to reality. As fast as it came the moment was gone. His hand ran limply through the sub's hair noticing how the texture was different. This was not his brother; it was a facsimile, a good one but not the real thing.

His whole form began to shake, not from anger but from grief. Every time something like this happened it was like losing his brother all over again. Like somebody got a sick pleasure of torturing him, making him relive the moment when he was told his brother was a submissive, when he learned about Albert's death sentence. He tried to hold back the sob that was threatening to escape his lips. How could he dare cry for his brother in the presence of two men that knew the real meaning of the word pain? He was unworthy.

The two submissive's stood quietly beside Quil. Their hearts filled with compassion for the troubled man. Embry didn't know who Albert was; all he knew was that a man that had showed him nothing but kindness was suffering. He extended his arm to clean the tears that were flowing freely from Quil's eyes while holding back his own. Quil had not even noticed when he started crying. The seconds turned to minutes as he wept for everything this unforgiving system had taken away from him. His chest felt tight as he drew breath after painful breath. Soon enough his pain lessened as he felt two pairs of very warm arms surround him in a protective and healing embrace. Each submissive had their arms around the dominant's waist while Quil rested his strong arms on the slave's backs. Two men that had nothing, that didn't even own their bodies were providing Quil with much needed love and attention. The moment that Quil walked in the room they became friends; by the time he walked out they were brothers.

The next two days went by way too fast. Embry was enjoying his friends' company. He had a lot in common with Seth; that alone made up for many coincidences and more than enough giggles. They shared a bond like no other. Not only they had felt in their own skin how it felt to be burned by the hottest flames in the deepest pits of hell, they had survived it with their spirit still kind and loving. Edward was a completely different story. He was not only a dominant but an alpha. For all practical purposes the cook shouldn't even look his way but they spent hours together in the kitchen talking like old friends. The cook always had a soft spot for the slaves but he found himself thinking about Embry while he lied in bed at night. Thinking how beautiful his eyes were, how lovely was his smile and how wonderful it would be to have him lying next to him. Edward hadn't had any company for decades; he lived of the memories of his life with Ben. He felt guilty of having those thoughts about the sub, after all he had one mate, he couldn't possibly have another.

Jacob and Seth were a completely different story. They were having a lot of fun trying to find innovative ways to make love in the strange places they ventured to. The pair had to get creative, Jacob hated treating his sub roughly, he had done enough of that to last two lifetimes. Still they would at least once a day make love where Embry could see them, they put on a good show, sometimes a little too good. The alpha felt ashamed and in a great deal of pain when one of these times Seth was bleeding when he left the bed. He had to use all his resolve to not run to his pup's side and beg for forgiveness. The slave shrugged it off when the master asked him about it, saying that he had been left in much worse condition in the past. Of course this didn't help Jacob feel any better; actually it made him feel worse. Yet this was something he really liked about Seth; he was not one to sugar coat anything. The sub wouldn't even try to justify his master's many flaws or his own for that matter. That didn't mean he was cruel, far from it, he was always kind and it was not in his heart to hurt his owner but things had to be called by their name.

Luckily for everyone whatever Carlos was told worked like a charm, not only he gave Embry a wide berth; he tried to avoid him altogether. Not once he came in the kitchen while the subs were in there. What none of them knew was if he didn't show up because of what Edward had done or because of what Billy had told him but they were happy nonetheless.

Since all good things come to an end, the next day found Embry awake and in obvious distress. His master would arrive late in the afternoon. He knew that by nightfall he would be screaming either from a beating or from the sex and he was not looking forward to either. Sam felt empowered by the pain of his slaves and unlike most masters he enjoyed listening to the end result of the treatment they received at his hands. Seth was awoken by his friend's light shaking as silent sobs racked his body. Resting on his bent arm he turned Embry so he was facing him and held him as close as he could, offering his chest to cry on while running his fingers through his friend's hair. He wished his master would keep Embry but he already said it was impossible. Little did Seth know that just the day before Jacob had phased and asked to speak privately to Sam. After they blocked their thoughts to everyone else he asked him what it would take for Sam to let him keep the slave. Sam explained that he had no desire to part with the slave and even if he did Embry couldn't stay with Jake, seeing that with the shortage of subs a dominant could only have one in his possession. A dom could buy more than one if they were available and he had the resources, but could only keep one for himself.

Jacob awoke with the first rays of the sun that entered the room but remained on his side watching the two subs. Instead of feeling jealousy for their proximity and obvious love for each other, he felt a great deal of compassion towards Embry and happiness for his pup. During the time Em had spent with them his pup's happiness for having a friend for the first time in his life was almost palpable. There was no resentment in Jacob's heart, he couldn't be selfish. The green-eyed monster would try to peek in and affect his thoughts but he kept it at bay.

Embry was scheduled to be delivered to Sam's house after lunch. That way he could get everything in order for his master's return. Since it was pouring out work had to be limited to what could be done indoors and that provided the opportunity for Jake to take Embry back to Sam's house himself. At least this way he could at least give him a few more minutes of peace, since he was sure that any dominant would take advantage of the slave.

"Embry gather your things I'm walking Seth to the kitchen to fetch our lunch. I'll take you home after we eat." Stated Jacob coldly, since Edward discovered them he had been extra careful with not let anything slip and kept a cold distant stance when it came to the subs. When Embry heard the word home he could only think that was one cruel joke. He had no home, only a torture chamber.

As soon as they stepped out of the room Jacob pulled his pup to the room across the hall and after closing the door kissed him so fervently he looked desperate. All morning he had been dying to kiss his sub. Aside from a quick peck on the lips he stole when Embry wasn't looking he had not felt the softness and warmth of Seth's lips and he missed them. After several minutes they emerged from the room, each one adjusting themselves so their arousal wouldn't be so evident.

They started going down the hallway when the master remembered some documents he needed to give Edward. The night before he had stamped and signed the barter authorization for several items the cook needed. Without a working financial system the wolves had retorted to dealing with the sale and purchase of items like in the old days. With every involved part working in an honorable way they guaranteed the honesty of the transactions by the use of a special seal made for every major landowner. The Black's property was so vast they possessed two different seals one for Jacob and one for his father. While Billy dealt with the acquisition of property, equipment and major purchases, his son dealt with supplies and the payroll which was based in a credit system.

Upon entering his room Jacob's booming voice resonated up and down the hallway. Seth couldn't make his legs move fast enough, what could've provoked such an outburst? "Speak before I fucking kill you!" When Seth entered the room both his master and Embry stood between the sitting room and the bedroom. Actually the master stood while the sub's legs flailed desperately under him as he was held up in the air and pushed against a wall. The contrast between the dom's and the sub's faces was shocking. While the master's face was so red it looked purple, the slave was white as a ghost.

"What are you doing with this?" Jacob held up a scrunched up piece of paper to the slave's face. "After I'm done with you, Sam cutting off your fingers will seem like a day in the park. What does Sam want with this? Speak!"

Seth was utterly confused, what was so important about a piece of paper? He just stood in his spot by the door trying to make sense of the scene developing before him. "Seth get out of here you don't need to see this. Go to the kitchen and stay there, I'll go get you when I'm done."

The slave turned to exit the room; he was so used to obeying mindlessly that many times acted like a drone. This time was different though, he stopped to think what his master meant by 'when I'm done'. Seth could see he was livid so it couldn't mean anything good.

"Master" Seth couldn't ask any question without seeming impertinent. Not that it really mattered since things were not looking good for Embry but he still wanted to have hope. Jake turned to look at his puppy his heart aching. He knew that what he was about to do would hurt him immensely. He prayed that the slave wouldn't hate him; he hoped his love would be strong enough to carry them through this time.

"This fucking thief was stealing from me. I kept him safe and fed for days and this is how the ungrateful son of a bitch repaid me. He would've gotten away with it too if I didn't come back to the room and he got so nervous he tripped and fell. When he did this slipped out of his pocket." He held up the paper where Seth could see it. The master's hand was shaking from anger and the sub was surprised he hadn't phased.

"What does it say in that paper master?" Asked Seth timidly.

"The combinations to the two safety deposit boxes in this house, mine and my dad's." Seth couldn't believe his ears; it had to be a nightmare. He was still asleep and would wake up at any moment. His gaze moved from his master to Embry not being able to focus on either one.

"Embry, why?" his friend wouldn't answer. "Brother please tell me, don't you know that stealing something so valuable is grounds for immediate execution? In the name of our friendship I deserve to know why you would do such a thing."

"My master ordered me to do it." Stated Embry with obvious shame and regret.

"What does he want with it?" Asked Jacob while shaking the paper in front of Embry's eyes. The slave shook his head from side to side in negation. The master should know better, Sam had no reason to explain to his slave the reason behind an order. Still he couldn't let this pass, Sam would get what was coming for him but Embry needed to be dealt with.

"Seth, say goodbye to your friend and leave."

"Master please don't kill him." For the second time since they had known each other Seth found himself in the position of having to plead for his friend's life.

"It must be done." Answered Jacob with an undertone of sadness.

"I know, but please have pity on him. He has to obey his master. If we are given an order we must obey, no questions asked." Seth was not beyond begging if that meant he could save his friend's life. He realized he was getting nowhere with his master who was readying himself to land the fatal blow the instant Seth left the room. The slave needed to change his strategy. "Embry what is Sam going to do to you if you don't bring these numbers?"

Embry's quiet sobs intensified as tears poured down his flushed cheeks. "He would cut off my toes one by one. He would torture me and turn me into a cripple. Seth I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry sir I shouldn't have done this, please know that Seth had nothing to do with this, he had no idea what I was ordered to do."

"Master please if you ordered me to steal something I would have to do it. Embry is afraid; please please please don't hurt him." Seth got to his knees and surrounded his master's legs with his shaking arms. He didn't even stop to think he had enough influence to make his master change his mind. At that moment he had only one thing in mind, prolonging his friend's life.

Jacob lowered Embry to the floor and took a step back to gather his thoughts. He had to create some distance between the subs and him. The pup's arms around his legs were making his resolve falter dangerously. He couldn't let that one pass; a slave had dared to come in his house to steal. He was not stupid, he knew that his friend's order weighted heavily on the slave but the sub should've told them what was going on.

Seth ran to his friend and hugged him tightly. "Seth I think I told you to leave." Jacob felt the tension and the anger on his skin like a horde of red ants.

"Master I can't let you kill him. He is my best friend. His master is the guilty one. Embry is just a puppet to him." Jacob moved towards the slaves who retreated trying to get away from him. Seth stood between Embry and Jacob shielding his friend from certain death.

"Seth get away from him and stand by my side. Slave, I will not hesitate to get you out of the way… I will hurt you." The last thing Jacob wanted to do was hurt his submissive. What hurt the most was watching the disappointment in his boyfriend's eyes. He remembered very clearly they had been in a similar situation the night Embry and Seth made love. The mere thought of that time making him snarl at the slaves like a rabid dog. Resentment against Sam's slave began to bubble up again inside him. Because of him he was threatening his slave once more.

"Master do what you deem necessary, but I will not move. I will not stand by your side when what you're going to do is so wrong. I can't stand aside while you murder him. This is hardly his fault." Jacob moved towards Seth determined to push him aside if it was necessary. His sub didn't even flinch, the master admired his courage but still saw it as defiance and that was something no alpha ever accepted from any wolf. Embry tried to get his friend out of the way but Seth just batted his hands away before turning to glare at him.

Seth wasn't happy with either his best friend or his master. He had been betrayed by both. Even though Jacob hadn't laid a finger on him the slave was certain that soon enough he would feel his master's rage fueled fist on his face. On the other hand Embry came to the house under false pretenses and got them both into a though spot. He still knew he was doing the right thing by standing up to Jacob but wished he didn't have to.

Jacob grabbed Seth's arm digging his fingers in the soft flesh and pulled him away from Embry. He hesitated for a minute before pushing him to the floor beside them but at some distance. "Stay down, I'll deal with your insolence soon enough." The double timbre of the alpha order resonated in the room. Seth followed Jake's fist as it moved towards his friend's face. He landed a blow that was far from fatal, meant to punish but not annihilate. The master readied himself to finish the job, that was before he caught sight of his slave who by that moment had pressed him face to his hands to shield his eyes. The alpha knew then and there he couldn't get through with it. To hell if he seemed weak, it would be weaker to hurt the most precious being, he had done enough damage as it was.

Walking to his pup he knelt down on the floor and tried to place his hand on one of the slave's arm. The slave rejected him, not even willing to look at his master. "Seth, I'm not going to kill your friend." Jacob's words were cold, he was angry and hurt. Seth had chosen his friend and that hurt him at a very deep level. He would never choose anyone before his puppy, not even his own father. The submissive opened his eyes and motioned to take his master's hand to kiss it but Jacob pulled his hand out of the way and stood up. It was his turn to reject his lover.

"Why did Sam asked you to get these numbers? Whatever he is planning he could've gotten them himself." Jacob was not even trying to play it cool; he needed to find out as much as he could. Whatever Sam was planning was big, he could feel it in his bones.

"He only said he needed them and didn't want them destroyed." Embry was truthful; there was no point on lying anymore.

"I wonder what that bastard is planning. The worse thing is that I can't bring him to justice. My father would believe me but almost nobody else would. The son of a bitch is charming enough to have half the council wrapped around his little finger. They will eat my father and me alive if we came in with these allegations. This is too farfetched for anybody to accept it. To add insult to injury my star witness is a fucking slave that nobody will believe. I guess my only choice is to wait and see how this plays out." Jacob wasn't talking to anybody in particular. He engaged in a monologue trying to see if by saying it out loud it would make more sense.

"I'm going to spare your life; I will not kill you this time. If there is ever a next time I will not hesitate. In exchange you will keep your fucking mouth shut about anything you've seen in this house. Also you will tell your master that I fucked you raw several times. You will lie and you're going to be very convincing, I don't want the slightest doubt to tarnish the reputation of my father's house. Do we understand each other?" Embry nodded, his frown deepening when he remembered Sam's threat. He looked at his toes saddened by the reality of the pain he would go through.

To Embry's utter surprise Jacob went to his office for a couple of minutes, then handed him a piece of paper and a pencil. "Take this and write the numbers I'm going to tell you." Embry recognized he was giving him a fake combination for each safe. He copied the numbers enthusiastically. Even though he was confused he grinned widely, happy that for now he would keep his toes.

Seth stood up from his spot and went to his master to thank him. His efforts were faced with a cold and distant master. Embry couldn't believe his luck; he had done the unthinkable and barely got a slap on the wrist. The alpha just turned to look at Sam's mutt and after checking all his pockets he pulled him out of the room not allowing him to say goodbye. Embry was grateful to both Seth and Jacob. His friend's bravery saved his life for second time since they met. The young slave saw the retreating forms of his dominant and his friend as they strutted away in the direction of Sam's house. Seth said a little prayer for his friend and for his master. He prayed that Jacob would've been truthful and really took him home. His warmest prayer was for his master to forgive him. The slave knew it didn't look good for their relationship. He hoped that their trust wasn't permanently damaged. Each man had been hurt and it will take much more than an apology and a kiss to beat this new horror.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello! I want to thanks all the readers. The ones who favorite and alerted, especially the ones who reviewed made my day. Those of you who offered me their feedback helped me write faster. I was saddened by the fact that the number of reviews has decreased notably. I hope I'm not boring you or that the story became stale. If it did please tell me so I can make the appropriate adjustments. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 25**

The distance between the Black's residence and Sam's was perceived very differently by the two wolves that were currently running in that direction. To Embry it felt too short; he never wanted to get there. His whole world was crashing down on him and threatening to bury him alive. He still didn't understand why Jacob showed leniency, he wanted to be grateful for this but found it very hard to do it. He even provided him with a way out of the mess he got himself into, something he would never understand. Those fake numbers would appease his sadistic master, at least for a little while. This was a very different person from what he came to believe was Jacob Black. Not even once he had heard Sam say anything positive about his _brother, _quite the opposite if Embry hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would've thought Jake was the evil incarnate. It was becoming very clear that Sam's envy and hate was deep rooted inside him.

Embry didn't know anything about Sam's plans, only bits and pieces he couldn't tie together. He prayed that whatever came to Jacob wouldn't affect Seth. There was only one person he really cared about and that was the small submissive. Edward had been very kind and their friendly conversations would live in Embry's memory forever, but he was a dominant. By his own experience he knew that dominants were volatile and mainly responded to their primal desires. He kept thinking that at any moment Edward would snap and jump him, with devastating consequences. It hurt him that he didn't come to say goodbye, Edward knew he was leaving and still didn't bother to say anything.

Jacob was a different story, he was fucking pissed. The only reason he had not disposed of the traitor was his puppy. He hated Embry, he didn't care that he had been raped, beaten and starved. He began to feel some sympathy for the guy but now all bets were off. He had done something unforgivable; Sam's bitch came between him and his puppy. Seth would've made an excellent lawyer; he made Embry's case like an expert but made a big mistake, he got involved with the situation. In Jacob's eyes Seth betrayed him; he should've walked out of the room and allowed Jake to manage the situation. Instead he stood like a human shield putting himself at risk for somebody who was not worth their time.

The alpha had to carefully shield his thoughts since they were pretty incriminating. He kept replaying the instant when Seth sided with Embry. More than angry, Jake was hurt. He knew it was a mistake to allow himself to feel again. Feelings were a weakness and weakness meant death. He let his guard down to open his heart and that was turning him into a pathetic sack of bones. How was he supposed to act now? Should he just forgive and forget? There was no real joy in this new world; maybe they had all died in the pandemic and this was purgatory.

Jake delivered the sub to Sam's estate and felt tempted to stay and confront his so called brother. What could he say? He had no proof and would be the laughingstock of the dominant world for paying attention to the sub's gossip. The alpha was very tempted to hang around Sam's room and snoop around. After all, Sam did the same by sending that filthy mongrel to his house. It was embarrassing to see Sam steeping as low as using a mangy dog to do his dirty work. Jacob wondered what Sam's deal was, what the purpose behind all the spy action was.

Jacob couldn't stand to be around Embry any longer. If he did, he could end up doing something he would regret. The submissive hadn't even dared to look in his direction, he was nervous and close to tears. The alpha couldn't care less, in his eyes Embry was nothing but an inconvenience. After ordering the wolves in the house to stay away from the slave he left in the direction of his home. Upon his arrival he went directly to his room, it was close to dinnertime and he knew Seth would be hungry. He was raving mad at his slave but couldn't leave him hungry. He had promised not to hurt him and he intended to keep that promise.

Once back in the place where their argument had taken place, the anger and resentment came back with a vengeance. Just the trace of Embry's scent left in the room made his blood boil. After giving Seth a sideways glance he marched into his office and closed the door. Jacob plopped himself on his chair leaning towards his desk and scrubbing his face with his bare hands. He needed to calm down, he reminded himself of the good times he shared with his puppy in the last few weeks. He debated on how to act, his feelings for the pup were making him feel very weak and he hated it. The young wolf was becoming such an important part of him that it scared him to death.

Jacob should've known better than to get involved with a submissive. The idea of the son of the Aleph having a relationship with a dog was preposterous. He could think of ten good reasons to go back to the master/slave relationship but he had a hundred reasons to fight for what they achieved. He knew he was a coward but never would've guessed that a sweet man with sad gray eyes would terrify him. Single handedly the small wolf changed his perception of the world, challenging his ideas and preconceptions. Seth opened his eyes and made him see the world in a completely different way.

A soft knock brought Jacob back to reality. He didn't need to ask who it was; he could swear that he knew everything about his puppy; even how many breaths he took every minute. What he didn't know was how to behave, how to react to the slave's presence. The master rationalized that Seth had a good reason to stand by his friend. It was the decent thing to do; after all if he hadn't done that Embry would be a thing of the past. That was what his brain told him, his heart strongly disagreed.

Jacob was simply pissed, the blinding rage that dominated him for as long as he could remember threatening to come back to the surface. Since he acquired the slave the fuel that fed that flame had been slowly diminishing. The pilot light remained and he feared it would never extinguish. But he trusted himself in that without fuel feeding it he could keep it under control. Embry acted as the fuel, the mother fucker kept feeding the flame until earlier that day it almost burned him. The big idiot better know that without Seth's intervention he would be a smoking pile of ash. Seth standing protectively in front of the slave was scary, stupid and in Jake's eyes a betrayal. Seth was _his_ boyfriend, not Embry's. It hurt that he had been demoted to second best.

"What do you want?" The question came out a lot harsher that it should've. At least now Jake knew how he would react, like a dick.

"Jake…"

"It's _master_ to you." Stated Jacob coldly, his eyes lost in an undetermined point on the wall in an effort not to look at his pup.

Seth was taken aback by his master's attitude, his face contorted in a combination of surprise and fear. He was certain his master had feelings towards him, but apparently those feelings were as deep as a patch of ice on the road. He took a few steps in Jacob's direction. His legs ignored the command to stop and as if they had a mind of their own kept going. The alpha stood up and took the same number of steps away from the submissive. Like two magnets with the same charge they repelled each other.

"Master I didn't mean to…" Again he was interrupted by Jacob.

"I'll save you the effort; I'm not interested in your explanations. You made your choice; it's obvious where your loyalties lie." Seth nodded in response; he didn't agree with his master's statement but had enough common sense to know when to remain quiet. The slave felt guilty for deriving hope from his master's obvious distress but it was all he had to go on. If he showed signs of not caring the slave would've known everything was lost.

"Master with your permission I'm going to the kitchen to fetch your tray." Seth struggled to get the words out. It had been easy for him to forgive his master. In the time it took him to deliver Embry to his owner's home the slave had made peace with everything that happened. He was well aware that Jacob's anger was warranted under the circumstances.

"Go!" The instant Seth left the room Jacob had to brace himself. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his desk while his head hung low. Holding a grudge was one of his less endearing characteristics and he was darn good at it. When his pup was concerned holding a grudge was causing him more pain than satisfaction.

On his way to the kitchen Seth's mind was occupied with a whirlwind of thoughts. He feared that his bubble had been burst and pretty soon he would be at the mercy of Jake's evil side. But what he feared more than hunger and pain was the possibility that he had been nothing but a temporary entertainment for the master. In the kitchen Edward submitted him to a battery of questions. He had been away all day and when he came back Embry was already gone. He wouldn't tell Seth what he was doing but the slave suspected it had something to do with freeing Embry. If Edward noticed the slave less than cooperative attitude he didn't say anything, anyway he was too busy talking about Embry.

Once the slave was back in the room he set up the table and again knocked on the door to call his master for dinner. He stood back while Jake stormed past him and followed him quietly. "Bring me your bowl if you want to eat, you're not eating off my plate." Seth wasn't hungry at all; he was too upset to eat but still brought his bowl as to not tempt fate. Considering the circumstances the alpha was very generous, giving Seth his fair share.

The slave moved back to the wall and sat on the floor like he had done many times before. He missed his master, it had only been a few hours since the fallout but he already craved the alpha's smile. Seth found himself smiling when the memory of Jacob's laugh came to his mind. When he arrived at the manor his master barely smiled and seldom laughed, when he did it seemed fake. After they started getting closer he could see the youthful expression of the alpha, his perfect white teeth visible more often than not. But at that moment he had to content himself with watching his master's broad shoulders as he ate. What he couldn't see was that Jake was barely touching his food, basically moving it around in his plate.

"Damn it, fuck this shit!" Jacob's angry outburst was immediately followed by his plate hitting the wall and shattering in dozens of small pieces. The slave was shocked by his master's fit of anger. He would've prayed that the next thing to shatter wouldn't be his face but after his heart being stomped on he didn't really care about much.

The master exited the room like he was trying to escape from something. In a way he was, he knew he was overreacting and acting like a spoiled brat who didn't get his way. His pride was leading him the wrong path. It was killing him to treat Seth like a slave, they were beyond that. He cared for his pup, the crestfallen expression of the slave not escaping him and cementing his position as a jerk. What was his pup thinking of him? Did he even want to know? Like he had done many times he summoned his wolf and took off in an undetermined direction. In the past when he felt the pressures of the new world threatening to crush him he would visit his mother's grave or hide in his cabin, but at the moment neither of those possibilities appealed to him. He just wanted to run, to feel the wind on his fur like he was a young pup who didn't have a care in the world.

Back in the room Seth gathered all the pieces and cleaned the mess. He was resilient, he survived much worse circumstances he would live through this. He needed to raise his shields and protect himself. It was overwhelming, seeing that he only had experience with physical matters; the heart was a complete mystery to him. To make matters worse everywhere he looked in the room reminded him of his master. The air was impregnated with his scent or maybe it was the slave whose scent was mixed with that of his master.

Not knowing what to do Seth lied down on his blanket and waited for his master. Sleep evaded him completely; he was restless and would toss and turn, unable to get comfortable. Giving up he rose and stood by the window looking at the sky and enjoying the soft breeze. He wondered where his master was, he even admitted to himself being worried. It was highly unlikely that Jacob would be hurt by anyone but he couldn't help himself, he loved his master. Close to midnight Seth saw his master's impressive wolf emerge from between the trees. Its head hug low and his steps slow, like it was carrying the weight of the world on its back. When the slave heard Jake's steps out on the hallway he knelt beside his chain and waited for him. He feared what he would be up to. If they were back to the master/slave relationship he would probably take him to his bed and inflict a world of pain on him. He shrugged in fear of what awaited him but his wait was very short since Jacob kicked the door open and walked in slamming it behind him. Seth didn't raise his eyes from the floor and found himself in the same spot he was the first time Jacob came in the room after the slave had been delivered to the manor.

"Since you proved I can't trust you, you'll sleep chained. You're not sleeping on my bed ever again." He snapped the hook of the chain on the loop in Seth's collar and walked away. The slave lied on his side facing the wall so the master wouldn't see him cry.

Jacob took a quick shower to cool down after the long run. He had been running for six hours and felt tired but couldn't settle down. Just like Seth had done earlier he tossed and turned. With every passing minute he became more frustrated and annoyed. In the past the slave would've been burned for being a witch since the master was sure he had placed a spell on him. The alpha sat on his bed sliding back so his back rested on the backboard. From his position he could observe the submissive sleeping form. If he hadn't been such a proud fool he would've made love to his pup and fallen asleep with him in his arms. Since he decided to make this a one man pissing game he condemned himself to a sleepless night.

The next morning found Jacob on the same spot tired and still worked up. Seth stirred in his sleep and the master lied down with his back towards the slave and pretended to be asleep. He knew he was being very childish and didn't care. After several minutes the slave woke up and knelt waiting for his master to release him. Jacob heard the chain moving and knew his pup was awake but decided to keep pretending and stayed in bed fifteen more minutes. Getting up he walked towards the sub and unlocked his chain. Jacob thought that as crazy as that sounded his submissive was beautiful first thing in the morning. He was dying; all he wanted to do was cover the sub's face with kisses. It was a cruel punishment that when he needed to keep a cool head was when he found his lover more fascinating.

"You'll be in the kitchen most of the day; tell Edward to give you something." The alpha felt guilty about scarfing down all his breakfast without giving the slave one crumb. He had the pathological need to show he was in charge and that at the smallest provocation all of Seth's privileges could be taken away.

"Good morning Seth, what crawled up Jacob's butt? He looks positively pissed, ready to kill anyone who gets in his way." The slave shrugged as his only response to Edward's questions. The cook thought Seth looked sad and when added to Jacob's murderous attitude he knew something was wrong but wouldn't push it. If the slave felt he needed to know he would tell him. Before finding out their secret he had been determined to pull it out of their throats if it was necessary. After learning their secret he didn't want to get involved in a lover's quarrel.

That evening followed pretty much the same routine as the previous day. Jacob told the slave to bring his bowl and as he was handing it back his fingers grazed the slave's hand. The ephemeral contact was enough to make his resolve falter. Why couldn't he just sit down and have a heart to heart with the sub? Why did he have to make it harder on both of them?

Unlike the night before, he stayed in the room but hid in his office to try and catch up with his paperwork, but not before chaining Seth. Of course he couldn't concentrate and after looking at the same paper for an hour he gave up and called it a night. Sleep evaded him again; he was exhausted but couldn't settle enough to be able to sleep. After several hours of lying awake on his bed he relented and getting up lied down next to Seth on the floor. Only after feeling the warmth of the slave's skin close to him his eyes became heavier and he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning found Seth with his face buried on his master's chest and Jacob's arms around him. He couldn't believe his master had degraded himself to sleeping on the floor with a slave. He didn't know at what point during the night he moved close to the alpha and tried to scurry away from him. He was certain he would pay for his indiscretion but was grateful that he had been able to enjoy his master's body close to him, even if he had been sound asleep at the time. The submissive felt Jake's arms tighten around him and lifted his eyes only to be met by his master's loving gaze. His serious expression was in sharp contrast with the emotion in his eyes. Seth lowered his eyes but Jacob wouldn't have any of that. Placing his index finger under his chin he lifted his face.

"I'm sorry." Whispered Jacob.

"Me too." They were both relieved to be in each other's arms. There would be many storms in their future and the only way they would endure was holding on to each other. Between two people that love each other the selfish and petty attitudes were unnecessary and unwelcomed.

Jacob unlocked the slave's chain and freed him. "I've missed you, puppy."

"It's only been one day."

"One day, an eternity, it's all the same to me if I spend it away from you. Seth, you… left me. You took Embry's side and left me up to dry."

"Jake if I didn't do something to help him I would've regretted it and you would've stained your hands with more blood. Even if you didn't understand it at the moment I want you to know I did it for both of us."

"Promise me you will never leave me. I need you by my side. Swear please."

"My Jake as long as you want me by your side I'll be here."

"You didn't swear." Jacob's words sounded muffled as he nuzzled the slave's cheek.

"I can't, I'm a slave if something was to happen to me tomorrow I would've broken my promise and that's the last thing I want. Trust me; I never want to leave you, never. Unfortunately that's not for me to decide."

"Baby please know that as long as there is breath in my lungs no harm will come to you. This day and a half that we were apart killed me, especially knowing that it was my fault. I was a downright jerk yesterday. You should've seen you face when I told you to call me master, I never want to see that despondent look on you again." Seth sat up beside his master and pulled him up until he was sitting resting his back on the wall. The slave straddled his legs and ran his fingers through his master's hair. Jacob should've felt uncomfortable under such an intense scrutiny but he was anything but. It was like Seth was looking at him for the first time, like he had been blind and the first thing he ever saw was the man sitting before him.

"Yes, you were a jerk." Jacob chuckled as he rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "But I'm not without fault. I should've done something to show you I was not picking sides, I was just doing what I thought was right."

"I've messed up and you still find fault on yourself instead of pointing your finger and tell me to go fuck myself. I don't know what I did to deserve you. Seth, why are you so good to me?"

"Er… well I…" Seth's eyes became downcast as he fiddled nervously with the hem of his shirt. There was so much he wanted to tell his master but wasn't allowed to.

"Seth don't be afraid I_ need_ to hear it." The slave closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He wanted to yell it from the rooftops but he couldn't. He knew the effect those three words would have on Jake, all that was needed was an instant of indiscretion and he would leave his master permanently. The submissive felt a warm hand pressed against his cheek and he leaned into the touch. When he opened his eyes he came face to face with his master's sorrowful expression and sad eyes. Of course he would think Seth didn't have any feelings for him, after all when he asked Seth couldn't even look at him. What he didn't know was that the submissive was trying to calm himself down and not do something that in the end would destroy them both. As it was his nature, the slave needed to comfort his master. Taking Jacob's hand he kissed it and pressed it on his chest right over his heart. There, the strong beat of his heart would tell him everything the slave was unable to.

"Thank you, in a few months you've made me happier than I've ever been. I just hope that one day I'll return the favor." Jacob didn't know why he couldn't tell the submissive he loved him. There was no law against him expressing his feelings even if it was to a slave. The truth of the matter was that he doubted himself. No person can claim to be in love and at the smallest provocation become a sadistic dictator. "You have no idea how happy you make me. Come you must be hungry I can hear your stomach growling."

The pair ate their breakfast sitting together at the table. At first Seth was unsure how to proceed. After some reassuring and coaxing he took a small amount of food from his master's plate. He was still wary and guarded. His master's change could only be temporary, he expected that at any minute the shift would occur and he would be in a worst situation than he had been.

As the days passed the two lovers became reacquainted with the feelings they had for each other. Their days were filled with furtive glances and clandestine dates. Their nights consisted of endless hours in each other's arms as they explored their bodies and engaged in a search for each other's pleasure. Jacob was determined to make up for everything. Seth needed to show his master what was in his heart. If his master knew the intensity of his feelings he wouldn't doubt him ever again.

It had been weeks since Embry's visit and everything that transpired was a thing of the past. Everybody was getting back to their routines with Jacob working hard on the crops and Seth working in the kitchen and taking care of his dominant. Ed had been struggling with the feelings he was beginning to experience. Like his heart had been dormant for decades and was sputtering to life again. But he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to pretend he was a leech whose heart stopped beating a hundred years ago, laying cold and dead inside his chest. He was content in waiting for his number to be up and go out with a bang. Nobody was going to take that away from him, not even a beautiful wolf with sad brown eyes and a smile that could brighten the darkest night. That didn't mean he would give up on him, he would do everything in his power to help the cursed man.

Since Edward knew Seth was safe he concentrated his efforts on Embry and tried one thousand and one ways to negotiate freedom for the slave. Unfortunately as it happened with Seth every abolitionist he spoke to was too scared of Sam to even attempt a transport. The cook was convinced that one day he would find somebody that could help him. He would do the hardest part, extracting Embry from the Uley property but this was not a one man job, he found out this the hard way. In the meanwhile he would do everything he could to help him stay alive until he could be freed. He was not beyond paying Sam's servants to sneak him in to see the slave and bring him food. Every time the cook saw the slave he couldn't help but take inventory of the multiple lacerations and marks on his skin. He didn't even want to think about Embry's pronounced limp, there were some days the slave could barely walk. Edward wished he could say something to lift his spirits but his words were rusty for lack of use. Anything he could say to the slave would be meaningless and feeble.

At the end of the day Jacob and Billy walked in together. Every day the Aleph was enjoying his son's company more and more. Like back from a long journey his real son was back, the one who made his life worth living. The one his Sarah gave her life for. They spent the day on the field and even though they were dog tired and had more dirt on them than the field itself, they were happy. Billy had been questioning his son of the reason for the sudden change in his attitude and behavior, he loved it but still found it very odd. He needed to know what happened to make his son come back to him. Jacob dismissed his father's questions with half lies, he thought about trusting his dad but he couldn't take risks. The more people that knew meant a bigger potential for disaster and when the stakes were so high he couldn't take unnecessary risks.

Father and son made their way to the kitchen to have some dinner and retrieve the slave respectively. The instant they walked in and Jacob's gaze landed on the submissive his smile widened, his breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat. None of this escaped Billy but he didn't make any comments about it, he wanted to see how it would play out.

"Slave lets go. Bring my tray; I'll eat in my room." Jacob's voice was almost melodic, nothing like the harsh way he usually addressed the slaves. Billy sat on a corner observing everything. The way his son ran his fingers through his hair like he was making himself more presentable. The way the slave would look in his master's direction every chance he got. His son's glittering eyes as he returned the slave's glances. What struck the Aleph as unbelievable was how at one point the slave raised his eyes and met his master's brown ones. In the past a slave would've been slapped before they could draw a breath, in this occasion his son smiled lightly. Billy felt like he was invading a private party, his son was having a silent conversation with the submissive and when they got close they almost looked as they had forgotten how to breathe.

After master and slave left the kitchen Billy turned to Edward who was getting his and the Aleph's dinner. "Ed have you noticed how different Jake's acting. Do you know what came onto him? Don't take me wrong, I couldn't be happier but I want to make sure whatever is going on keeps happening." Edward shrugged as he tried to come up with a good enough explanation. No such luck, his mind was drawing blanks. Billy noticed Edward evasiveness and decided to conduct his own investigation. He couldn't depend on anyone to find out what was happening, especially if it was what he suspected.

The next morning Billy woke up earlier than usual and went on a quest to find the truth. Being the owner of the manor had its benefits, one of them having possession to the master key to all the locks in the house. Standing outside Jacob's door he hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should do it. He could be opening a can of worms and the last thing he wanted was to change the course of things. He had his son back, should he do something that could potentially drag him back to square one? His instincts as a father commanded him to open the door and to be prepared to what he would find.

Billy opened the door slowly and was very grateful the hinges didn't groan, he was afraid they would squeal like fingernails on a chalkboard and wake up his son. His footsteps didn't make a sound, his movements stealthy. After crossing the siting room he came face to face with his son's new reality. For a second he didn't see the small submissive encased in a protective embrace. It took a second look for him to make up the petite form of the slave. They were naked as the day they were born, their legs intertwined, their breathing soft and steady. The most peaceful look adorned the faces of the two men on the bed. Billy was uncomfortable with their nudity but it was part of the wolf lifestyle. He knew this went beyond the obvious, there was a lot more under the surface. The room smelled of sex and he knew what happened, not that he expected anything different but he expected better.

Sitting at the foot of the bed on the side closest to Seth he waited for them to wake up. They looked so young and innocent that Billy couldn't bring himself to interrupt their sleep. He had so many questions floating around in his head. When did things change and what was exactly going on between them being the main ones. He was amused and concerned for the fact that this had been happening right under his nose and it didn't register with him. Everybody with eyes of their faces could see the changes in master and slave. Jacob looked happy; he worked harder than he had in a long time, like at last he had something to work for. His son was distracted more often than not and looked as daydreaming half the time. The change in the submissive was even greater. He looked calm and relaxed, not like he was about to pee himself from fear. He had gained weight and had no traces of blood or hints of any violence coming to him.

At last the slave began stirring, fighting the appeal that staying in bed presented. Billy observed him as he curled himself to his son's body and peppered his chest with kisses. If there had been any doubt in his mind about what he was witnessing, Seth's loving behavior would've changed it. He didn't notice until then that the slave was not wearing his collar. Looking around he located it on the bedside table, a silent witness to what he knew had been a night of passion.

The air changed around them when Seth took notice of the Aleph sitting at his feet, turning from the aroma of peace, love and desire to the stench of stress, worry and fear. The submissive felt panicky, his life could end right when he found happiness. He tried to scurry away from his master but only achieved to make him hug him tighter. He laid on his lover's arms shaking and to the point of hyperventilating. The slave pondered what his father in law would do, in case he didn't get a chance to do it ever again he snuggled to his master. Hiding his face on the crook of Jake's neck he inhaled his scent. Placing his hand on his chest he reveled on the strong heartbeat. In his own simple way he was saying goodbye, trying to take as much of his lover as he could when he left the earth.

"Don't be afraid I'm not going to hurt you." Whispered Billy.

At the sound of his father's voice Jacob woke up with a start. Sitting up he pushed Seth behind him, ready to fight his own father if necessary. Seth squeezed his shoulders and kissed the back of his neck trying to help him calm down. It worked and soon enough the tension had notably diminished.

"Well now you know. What are you planning to do about it? Please dad I do not want to fight you, but I will protect him." Jacob's words were few but to the point. He didn't want to do anything he would regret. But if it came to the point of choosing between his father and his boyfriend he would defy the authority of the man who gave him life.

"I'm not planning to do anything son. I just wanted answers. I've been watching you both, every day it became more evident that there was something going on but couldn't have guessed the extent of it. Son I'm delighted on you but I'm worried. You know this is forbidden, it could cost him his life."

"Dad whoever wants to get to him will have to kill me first." Billy's eyes widened as he took in his son's words.

"Son, don't say that. It will not come to that, I will not allow it. We'll protect him. Who else knows about you two?"

"Only Edward"

"That's one powerful ally; I think Quil would be another wise choice. You'll need as much help as possible."

"I know dad, I've been very careful, this secret is just too important for me to risk it falling in the wrong ears.

"I understand son, if I may suggest something, you need to be extra careful with Carlos and Carlisle. Carlos has been asking me to order you to share your sub." At this declaration Seth stiffened and a deep growl emerged from Jake's chest. "Carlisle is a stickler for the rules; he wouldn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands."

"Thanks dad I'll do just that. Seth why don't you go get ready for the day. I want to talk to my dad some more." Seth scampered to the bathroom pausing once to look over his shoulder at Jake who looked adoringly at the sub.

Once Seth started the shower Jacob decided to have a long overdue heart to heart with his father. "Dad I know this is crazy but this is one of those things nobody plans, it just happened."

"I know what you mean, but are you in love with him?"

"Honestly I'm not sure. What can I tell you dad, I was tempted by the smile of an angel. My spirit soars when I'm with him. The fact that this is forbidden takes second place to how wonderful it is. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, he is constantly in my mind. His voice is my favorite sound, his smell is my favorite scent, and his voice is the most perfect melody. He is the piece that was missing from my soul. If that's what being in love is, then yes, I'm in love."

Jacob paused when he realized what his admission meant. "Dad I'm… in love with a submissive." The master's smile turned into an all-out grin. His mind had been arguing with his heart for a long time. Listening to his own voice utter those words made them real. Jacob Black not only loved, but was _in love_ with a man. The fact that the man was a slave was not part of the equation, it didn't matter. In Jacob's eyes Seth was much more than a slave, he was a submissive, the strongest and most resilient kind of wolf to ever walk the face of the earth.

"Son, have you told him?"

"No I haven't but I will, I'll tell my sun that he is my everything. I'll tell my Seth… that I love him…"


	26. Chapter 26

**I have the best readers of all FF; the response in the last chapter was unbelievable so THANK YOU! Your continuous support and encouraging words is what keeps me going. I'm so happy the story has not gone stale, I was very worried. Not so long ago several of you asked me about what I'm explaining in this chapter. I hope that all your questions are answered. If not please don't hesitate to pm me. **

**I want to give a shout out to my good friend, Ratts. Check out her new story The Sun and the Moon. It's very different and a great read. Give it a try; I know you'll like it and will keep going back for more.**

**Disclaimer 1: I do not own Twilight. **

**Disclaimer 2: Please be warned that this chapter will include physical abuse. I ****DO NOT**** promote, condone or accept abuse in any shape or form.**

**Chapter 26**

Seth walked out of the bathroom freshly showered and shaved. He knew he still had to keep the façade, if he didn't people would start to wonder why was Jake treating him differently. Just the fact that he was not black and blue all over was enough to stir the pot. Both father and son observed him as he walked towards the door to get the breakfast that was left next to it every morning.

"It's good that you two have the frame of mind of trying to keep up appearances. I'm very concerned, whether it's the spies the West has planted here or the informers the council pays off, anyone could harm him just to get to you. Jake, nobody can know about this, he would turn into your Achilles heel." As Billy was saying this Seth was setting up for breakfast. He turned to look at his master with obvious concern. The slave was not worried about his well-being; he always placed others before himself. After so many years of servitude he didn't know if it was inherent to his character or an acquired skill.

Sensing Seth's distress Jacob turned to look at him and smiling motioned for the slave to come closer. "Hey I don't want you worrying about any of this; you have enough to worry about with all the dickheads with permanent boners in this house." Said Jacob after coaxing the submissive to sit on his lap. The slave was self-conscious about such a display of affection. Billy's smile helped him feel comfortable enough to bring his legs up on the bed and rest his face on his master's ample chest, his new favorite place to be.

"My son is right; you have him, Edward, me, and pretty soon Quil to keep you safe. Just be smart about this, no going down to the lower level by yourself." Seth shivered when the memory of the dramatic consequence of his fateful trek on the lower level hit him. "Jake if I may say something, he looks too healthy; he needs to look like any of your other slaves."

"Damn it! Edward said the same thing, listen to me I will not hit him." Jake's outburst made Seth jump on his lap; he lifted his head to look at his master when he felt his form shake.

"Sorry babe." Jake nuzzled the sub's cheek to comfort him. Sighing Seth reclaimed his spot on his master chest.

"Son I know you don't want to do that, I don't blame you; I wouldn't either. But you have to look at the big picture, if our enemies catch wind of your relationship, who do you think they will come after? A chain is as strong as its weakest link. Subs are outstanding, talented and smarter than most wolves, but what they have in intellect they lack in physical prowess." Billy made a lot of sense, as if it was not enough trying to observe all the rules and regulations regarding the submissives they needed to worry about a completely different set of problems. But Jacob was not really listening to his father's logic; he was too busy analyzing his words.

"You seem to know a lot about submissives." Said Jacob, eyeing his father suspiciously.

"Now that I see that you have obviously changed your ways about subs, I'll let you in on a little secret. For years I've been trying to find information that could help dissuade the council from the use and abuse of subs. It's shameful that we resurrected an abominable practice such as slavery. There is so little out there, we've been led to believe they never existed before. I found some ancient scrolls a few years back, they are written in old Quileute and I can barely understand them. Now I regret never paying attention when my father tried to teach me." Billy chuckled lightly at a distant memory of better times. "The few words I could understand were submissive, protective, pregnant and gifts. These scrolls are at least a good two centuries old and the submissives are mentioned. This means that they have always existed; I don't know why we have been led to believe they popped out of the earth only after the pandemic."

"I searched the East coast for tribal libraries, there were none. They had been burned to the ground; we found some books in the council center of one of the reservations. But they were no help, I read them cover to cover and there was no mention of submissives. Somebody went through a lot of work to hide something, but I don't know what it might be. There is someone out there who doesn't want us to find out some important truth and I suspect it has to do with these guys." He said pointing to Seth.

"What makes you think that, dad?" Asked Jacob with a glimmer of hope. Maybe someone out there had the key that would permanently unlock Seth's collar.

"It just doesn't add up. During the pandemic chaos broke out, the shelves of the grocery stores were cleaned out and the pharmacies were picked clean but nobody cared about books. There was too much death around us to stop and pick a good book you know. When the government failed all we had left was burying our dead and live day to day. Why were our libraries burned?" Billy stopped talking and watched the morning sky through one of the windows. Every time he spoke of the pandemic the pain and uncertainty of that time came back to haunt him. He had asked himself the same questions over and over again and never reached a reasonable conclusion. It was painful to accept that some wolves disregarded knowledge of their traditions in such blatant way. It was scary to think that somebody did all this on purpose.

What will always fill him with shame was that for years he had been playing their sick game. Purchasing man after man for his son to slaughter, he knew in his heart that it was wrong to support such twisted system. Unfortunately for the dozens of men who died at Jacob's hands the welfare of a complete stranger meant very little when compared with his son's happiness. The Aleph knew that even if it was a false happiness his son would feel something like joy, or at least that was what he told himself so he could sleep at night. Billy shook his head to dissipate the self-loathing thoughts. "Your breakfast is getting cold, guys."

Master and slave noticed the pained expression in Billy's face but decided against pointing it out. They walked to the table where Jacob sat down in his usual chair. "Jake, will your father like me to go get him something from the kitchen?" Seth stood to Jacob's left; he couldn't bring himself to address Billy.

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?" Jacob took Seth's small hand in his and rested them on the table.

"I can't." Whispered Seth. "I don't know if I should address him or wait for him to give me permission to speak. It's very confusing Jake, when I was just a slave it was very clear what was expected of me and there was minimum guessing; now I don't know where I stand."

"You won't offend me Seth." Intervened Billy having listened to every word the slave uttered. Billy's voice had a softness that Seth had never heard in the Aleph, almost like an Alpha command that instead of obedience, brought peace. "You're part of my son's life now; that means you're part of mine too. When it's just us feel free to talk to me as much and in any way you want. Until the day we figure out how to attain your freedom when we're with others you'll behave like you always have. I don't like it one bit but there is no way around it."

"Sir would you like me to get you breakfast?" Seth's voice was almost imperceptible and his eyes stayed glued to the floor like he feared getting in trouble.

"No thank you, I'm not particularly hungry." Billy's voice was warm and fatherly. Since the day he saw Seth at the auction he felt drawn to him like a moth to the light. He couldn't explain it, but he needed to buy the small man with the saddest pair of eyes he had ever seen in a person. The other two slaves were in much better condition and he was advised by Carlisle to leave Seth, he feared the small wolf wouldn't survive one day with Jacob. The price was very steep and they needed to be practical. The Aleph wouldn't hear it, the slave needed to come to his house. "I think I better go, I intruded enough already."

"Dad, don't leave yet, stay a little longer. It's been so long since you visited me here, the last time was…" Jacob's voice trailed off as he remembered the last time his father had entered his room. His memories punished him; it was unnecessarily cruel for him to starve the submissive. The way he treated him afterwards made his breath get stuck in his throat, he could still smell the coppery scent of Seth's blood and see the gashes and welts produced by the belt. He diverted his eyes to the slave who remembered all too well what had transpired that day. He could still feel the sting of the belt on his skin and the pain of his broken nose. He shuddered at the image of having been made to eat his own vomit.

All pretenses of having breakfast went out the window; Jacob could barely swallow his own spit, much less any food. He pushed the plate towards Seth and motioned for him to sit. "Pup, there is no sense in wasting all this food, sit down and eat."

"Jake you'll be working outside all day, you need to eat." Seth placed scrambled eggs and ham over a piece of toast and offered it to his master. Jacob couldn't help thinking how adorable he looked. His puppy eyes pleading to him, he couldn't deny anything to such a gentle loving creature. Jake wished he had half of the submissive's strength so he could forgive those who had wronged him. It takes more courage, strength and character to forgive than to hold on to destructive feelings. He didn't present much resistance and took a bite out of it.

Billy observed the interaction between master and slave in awe. For one so simple and insignificant Seth sure had a lot of power over Jacob. He knew that what was radiating from both of them was real love. Their feelings remained unprofessed but that didn't mean they were nonexistent, it was quite the opposite. It's true what they say, true love doesn't need words; it speaks directly to the heart. Their relationship was not perfect, far from it, but it was real and it was committed. His son allowed himself to be loved and to love in return. Jake had been so blind; he closed himself to the possibility of being happy. The little wolf freed his master, he took the most powerful weapon known to man and used to crush the chains that retrained his master. Now Jake could soar, he was free to love.

Before leaving the room Seth brought his collar to Jacob so he could lock it in place. "Damn it I hate this fucking thing." Stated Jacob hissing between his teeth. Before placing the wretched piece of metal on Seth's neck the master feathered it with kisses. His kisses were light but filled with emotion. Their bodies weren't touching but both men could feel the heat emanating from each other's body. Seth shuddered when the softness of his master's lips and a hint of his warm breath hit his skin. It stirred feelings in him that if Billy hadn't been there, he would've acted on them. This was a ritual Jake came up with to make the painful task of placing the collar on Seth more bearable. Like Jake was trying to create a barrier between the cold metal and his puppy's warm skin.

Billy looked away to give them privacy, he loved the change he was witnessing in his son and prayed that he wouldn't stray away and fall back to his old routines. The trio walked down the hallway with the slave two steps behind them. Annoyance and guilt riddled Jacob's thoughts; he glanced back at his boyfriend only to find him walking behind them in complete submissive mode.

Another month passed in which Seth barely saw his master. He would be gone for several days at a time taking turns between the harvest and patrolling. Every day the West would push the boundaries more and more. Nobody felt safe, everybody kept looking over their shoulder as they did their patrols. The wolves from the individual packs under Billy's command were advised to move in pairs and stay close to their pack. Even Quil was asked to put off his quests until it was safer. Nobody knew when exactly things would improve but they all agreed that it would get worse before it got better.

After so long without spending a whole day together master and slave welcomed Jacob's day off, the first one in a month. It didn't matter that he was the son of the Aleph he had to work as hard as everyone else. They decided to make the most of it and left the manor right after breakfast. It was a perfect autumn day, one of those that occur more frequently in the imagination than in reality. The alpha wouldn't tell the sub where they were going or what his plans were. All he said in reply when Seth asked was 'it's a surprise'. Jacob removed Seth's collar and they both phased. They had to be very careful and guard their thoughts zealously. The slave had a lot more control than the master. It had nothing to do with the intensity of his feelings. Because of his nature the slave had learned to be restrained in everything, how he talked, how he acted and even how he thought. Jake never had to answer to anyone; he could just be as impulsive as he wanted.

They ran for forty-five minutes in a direction Seth didn't recognize. Jacob had been quiet the whole time; the submissive wondered what was keeping his thoughts so busy. He could sense hesitance, apprehension and a deep sadness coming from his master. All he wanted to do was phase so he could surround him with his arms and comfort him. The slave didn't recognize any of the landmarks in that area, not even the scent of any wolf. It was like they were in another dimension, a place untouched by human hands. They crossed a small wooded area with a thick growth of plants and trees. Many trees were in the process of losing their leaves which added to the canvas of abundant oranges, yellows, browns and purples. What awaited them on the other side was undeniably the most beautiful place Seth had ever seen. It was like being inside a dream.

Jacob asked Seth to phase and after donning their simple attire they stood by the entrance. The submissive looked at the sad expression on his master's face and wondered how he could be sad in such a wonderful place. The master sought the sub's hand and after interlacing their fingers they walked in together. The submissive was worried that somebody could see them holding hands, sensing his nervousness the alpha stopped walking and turned to look at him. "Don't worry, nobody is allowed to come here. The wolves have been ordered to stay at least a mile away from this place; they patrol around it but can't see it."

Seth wanted to ask where they were but decided to wait for his master to offer the information. The slave took in his surroundings; they were in what seemed to be the entrance to a garden. A majestic array of rose bushes framed the entrance filling it with their aroma. There was a backdrop of evergreen plants that provided varying shades of green. The multiple flower beds contained what the submissive could only guess were flowers for every season. It was early fall and the place was covered by a blanket of colors. It was filled with plants that contained so many blooms that Seth chuckled thinking it was a flower that really liked to show off.

"This is my mom's personal garden of Eden. Her body rests right there." Jacob pointed to a tombstone that had blended in the back, guarded by the flowers and the plants. "She loved flowers so we thought it would be fitting to give her a garden. Since we laid her body to rest nobody has been here except my father or me and now you of course. The wolves know that if dad scents them here it would be hell to pay. We didn't want anybody soiling this sacred place with their presence."

"I feel honored that you consider me worthy of coming here. I promise to honor it just like you do." Stated Seth respectfully, keeping with the seriousness the occasion.

"I know you will. This is the place I come to when I feel overwhelmed or like the weight of the world is going to crush me." Jacob paused for a minute, his mind very far away.

"Do you know what day is today?" Seth shook his head in negation.

"Today, one year ago you arrived at my house. I could live forever and it won't be long enough to make up for everything I did to you." Seth placed one hand on his master's cheek and he leaned against the touch. The slave knew it always helped him when he did it. "You must be thinking that I've lost my mind bringing you here today but there is method to my madness. I know everything about you, from the day you were born to how many worms you and your sister ate when you decided to see who could eat more before barfing, which was disgusting by the way." They both chuckled lightly before the alpha continued.

"I thought it would be fitting to reveal my past to you. I don't know if I'll be able to do it, I'm having second thoughts about it. I fear what you'll think of me… I'm so ashamed. I haven't spoken a word of this in many years. My father always encouraged me to talk and share my feelings, to lighten the load, but it was just too much. I tried to avoid thinking about it but the memories chase me and when they catch up with me it is like rubbing salt on a wound."

Seth gently guided his master to a rustic looking bench and made him sit, kneeling in front of him between his legs. "My Jake, don't think for one second that I will judge or think less of you. You've made mistakes; we all make then, you dust off your clothes and keep going. You cannot dwell in the past and most importantly, you cannot stop living." The slave wiped a solitary tear sliding down his master's face. He had a way to speak directly to the alpha's spirit. It was like he knew what his master needed to hear.

Jacob nodded and managed to give Seth a dim watery smile. Seth stood up and offered his small but strong hand to his master. It took them just a few steps to stand before Sarah's resting place. The slave knelt respectfully and his master followed suit. The submissive read the tombstone out loud, "Sarah Wilde-Black 2867-2906"

"Dad, her and Carlisle were childhood friends, even though Carlisle was two years older. She was very smart and after high school the obvious course of action was college. They got married in her sophomore year and moved to a tiny apartment near campus. Dad used to say it was a glorified closet. He worked two jobs to pay her tuition and she bused tables to make ends meet. But they didn't care, they were madly in love and could've been living under a bridge and would still manage to be happy. My mom wanted to make a difference, she was a dreamer. She had so many plans; she wanted to go to a third world country and work at a health clinic. She wanted to bring immunizations and vitamins to children in impoverished areas. In a way she was like you, completely selfless. In her second year of med school she gave birth to me, she was twenty three years old. Six years later the entire world turned to shit and she was faced with the task of pronouncing dead most of her family and friends. She was terrified of losing me and asked my father to keep me at home at all times and to not open the door to anyone. That wouldn't hold off the fucking virus but she felt better at lEast trying to keep it out of our lives. My ancestry protected me and we were one of the few families that remained intact."

"As you know after the pandemic war erupted, first with the leeches and a few years later between the East and the West. I grew up watching my parents go off to fight, not knowing if I would see them again. My godfather, Carlos, was and still is, too much of a chicken shit to fight so he stayed back and babysat. I didn't mind, he was fun and would let me eat anything I wanted. At that time they hadn't realized the scarcity of females and hadn't turned them into porcelain dolls. My mom fought shoulder to shoulder with dad in his pack as the female alpha. All the wolves loved and respected her, she had a way to reach out to them and act as a mother figure to all." Seth was amazed of his master's appearance. Like a new father he was positively radiant as he beamed with pride and love. It was a troubled time but the strength of the bonds Jake shared with his parents remained intact even after so many years. Just remembering his mom was enough to put a smile on his face, no wonder he would seek refuge in that sacred place.

"When I was sixteen I phased for the first time and joined my parents in the front. My mother always kept me by her side, I worried that she would get distracted and somebody could hurt her but it never happened. During one especially nasty battle I caught sight of a couple of wolves from the West running away from the fight. Against any logical judgment I went in pursue thinking they were scared and would lead me to their camp. My mom called after me but I wanted to prove myself and ignored her. She and two other soldiers took off and soon caught up with me. Those two motherfuckers were fast, my legs were burning and I couldn't catch my breath but I wouldn't quit. Eventually we realized we couldn't hear the battle anymore, but thought that we had already traveled so far that there was no point on turning back. We should've gone back…" The radiance from Jacob's face was covered with a shroud of guilt and shame. There was no more pride being projected from him, like turning off a light what emanated from him was darkness.

"It happened so fast, they jumped from all around us and killed the two soldiers. My mother and I stood back to back and fought with all we had but they were just too many. They overtook us and the last thing I remember before everything going black was watching as the two wolves we had been chasing phased to human form. I was dumbfounded and shook my head trying to wrap my mind around the fact that we had been lured into a trap by two submissives." Seth's brows knitted together unsure of what to think. His normally caramel complexion turned pale and his spirit was overcome with sadness. Of course they would use submissives, they were faster than most dominants and followed orders without question.

"Is that why you hate submissives so much?" Asked Seth.

"Yeah…" Stated the alpha chuckling sadly. "That and the fact that they remind me of my own weakness. I, Jacob Black, son of the Aleph, was willing to betray my father just so my agony would end." At that point Jacob started shaking lightly. His fists were clenching and unclenching, his jaw was tense as he tried to keep his wolf in check. Seth had no idea what he was talking about but knew that soon enough he would learn what it meant.

"I woke up in human form in a cell. My hands were bound with chains that went up and all the way around my neck. I tried to take in my surroundings, there were no windows and as far as I could tell there was nobody else there. I hoped that they had let my mother go free, again I sadly was mistaken. As I sat there trying to figure out a way to get out that I got myself into I heard the most horrifying sound ever, my mother's bloodcurdling screams." A chocked sob escaped the master's throat, he was mournful for what he lost that day. He remembered every detail, sounds and smells, it was something he would never forget.

"I started banging on the bars with my bound fists and calling my mother. They noticed I was awake and brought me to her, she was barely recognizable, her eyes swollen shut, her nose visibly broken and her lip busted. I wanted to kill them all but if I tried to phase the damn chain would choke me. As I got closer to her I could smell several foreign scents on her… in her. The bastards had abused her in every possible way. I cursed their existence; I prayed that one day I would get the chance to wring their miserable throats until their eyes budged out." This was a sight Seth was used to, the deep seated anger that constantly threatened to take over. That anger that with time instead of getting better got worse. It turned into resentment, bitterness and aggression. Consuming every positive feeling inside him and spitting out a hollow shell of a man. Still Seth pitied him; his hatred for these men was only surpassed by the hatred he felt towards himself.

"A man that looked about eighteen years old kept asking her questions and every time a question went unanswered he would kick her face or her stomach. He wanted to know the location of my father's camp, but she didn't know. Neither one of us did. Dad made sure to change the location every other day and the day we were taken he was bound to move. Of course they didn't believe her; they just kept pounding her until she lost consciousness." Seth had been inching towards his master, he was unsure of how to proceed. All he knew was that his master was in obvious distress. The man he loved was experiencing the worst pain of all, pain of the spirit. He slowly ran his fingers up and down the arm closest to him, while the other hand rubbed small circles on his master's back.

"They left us in the interrogation room and as soon as they closed the door I ran to my mom. I wanted to comfort her, at least get her head off the filthy floor but I couldn't. My mother was so beautiful. I wish you could've seen her. Her skin was a little lighter than mine but much softer. Long raven hair, thin but muscular body and she always smelled good. Like jasmine and roses. But the woman before me didn't look like that at all; she was a mass of blood and bruises, her hair was stuck to her head and her scent was unrecognizable."

"After a few hours they returned and woke her up to continue the interrogation. When they realized they couldn't get anything out of her they turned to me, saying that watching me suffer would loosen her tongue. They asked me the same questions they asked my mom, every time I said I didn't know they would kick or hit me. It went on for a long time, I lost track of time but from what I could tell it was several hours. My mother pleaded with them. She begged them to leave me alone. They saw her resolve falter and changed their strategy. One of the submissivess that led us to the trap brought a whip. They sat me backwards on a chair, undid the chains around my wrist only to pull my arms around the back of the chair and bind them again. They started flogging me, not even caring to count. It was not a punishment, it was simple torture. They didn't need a number, they would stop when my body couldn't take it any longer and my spirit would soar to the heavens. Soon enough my back was left in shreds, I could feel the blood trickling down my naked behind, its coppery smell surrounding us." It dawned on the slave that this was the reason for his master's strict rule of no flogging. He knew how inhumane and painful it was; he experienced it in his own skin.

"Then they stopped, I felt so relieved when I couldn't feel the sting of the whip anymore. I raised my face to look at my mom who they sat up and were forcing to watch. All the sudden I saw her expression change, she was looking at something behind me that filled her with fear. She started begging again, she even offered to become their bitch if they let me go. My mom would rather turn into a whore and be tortured on a daily basis than see me suffer. My mom loved me like only a devoted mother can. They were all laughing as I struggled against the chains, throwing insults at me. They said that the one they would turn into a whore was me; that I would beg for a death that would never come. They would bring me to the brink of death only to pull back enough for me to heal. They offered me a deal, if I told them where to find my father they wouldn't do what they were about to. Again I said I didn't know and that's when I felt it. The motherfuckers brought a vat of salt and began rubbing salt on my back. It was the most excruciatingly painful sting ever. I doubt there is anything out there that could compare. To add to my agony they roughly scrubbed my back at the same time. I heard these beast-like howls and realized the animal was me, the voice was mine." Seth's heart was sickened by the horrors his master endured. He had seen more than his share of mistreatment and cruelty but it was part of his nature to care. His levels of empathy were one of his better traits. The idea of his master howling in pain filled his eyes with tears that he refused to let escape, today was about Jacob. He had his day to cry and be comforted when they visited his house. The roles were reversed and his master was the one who needed love and understanding, something he was more than willing to offer.

"I would've told them, I would've betrayed my father, my pack brothers and my friends. I was so weak, if I had known; my father would've been dead within the hour. The worst thing was that I didn't care what happened to anyone, the only person that mattered was me, old selfish me." Jake spoke so fast that Seth could barely follow. "I couldn't handle it anymore and gave them a false location. I knew my father must've been looking for us. Hopefully this would give him enough time to reach us." Jacob bore the heavy burden of shame and self-loathing, two of the most devastating forces in the world. The master agonized with such heavy burden, for years he had been carrying it unable to find a way to free himself from it.

"They left me tied to the chair and exited the room. As soon as the last wolf stepped out my mother slowly walked towards me. She held my face between her hands and kissed my sweaty forehead. I cried like a baby, I couldn't speak since I lost my voice from all the screaming. She cradled me the best she could under the circumstances. Not even once she chastised me for signing our death warrant. We both knew that if my dad didn't get to us before they came back, they would most likely kill us both. We were both exhausted, my mom sat beside me and we both drifted off to sleep. I woke up with a start when the door was slammed open and an irate wolf came in. It was the same young man that interrogated me earlier. He started cursing my name and backhanded me several times. My mom grabbed his hand to make him stop but she was very weak, he got lose and pushed her back several feet. From what I gathered he was the son of the leader of the West, an Alpha like me. His father left him in charge of the interrogations and more than anything he was pissed because I made him look like a fool."

"He untied me but kept the chain around my neck to prevent me from phasing. Anyway I doubted I could even if I tried. Pulling me to my feet he motioned for one of the guards to bring my mom closer. She looked at me and her expression instead of fear, read peace. My mom was ready to join our ancestors, watching her stand proudly before me infused me with strength and I too stood to my full height. The room became silent when the alpha asked me for the last time to disclose my dad's location, threatening to kill my mom if I didn't. He held a dagger on his right hand and he placed the sharp blade against my mother's throat. I still remember how the light from the fluorescent light above us reflected on the polished metal. I stayed silent, our fate was sealed anyway. I would rather leave this earth with the little dignity I had left intact."

"He smiled malevolently and looked from my mother to me and back to her. He motioned for a soldier to come closer and told him to hold my left arm behind me. He held me from the back rubbing my raw skin with my own arm and making me hiss in pain. Another wolf stood on the side opposite to the alpha and held me tightly around the waist. It was game over, there was no hope, there wouldn't be any rescue. He…" Jacob hesitated, taking a few calming breaths.

"He placed the dagger on _my_ hand, closed my fist around it and wrapped my hand with his. I had no idea what he was going to do until he brought the dagger back to my mother's throat. He told me it was my last chance, that if I didn't talk… I would kill my mother." The terror of that day came back to haunt the alpha. The groan that escaped him was one of sheer terror. It was a low stifled sound that originated in his soul. Seth knew that sound all too well; he had heard it coming from himself one too many times.

"I couldn't do something so despicable; I was not going to kill my mom. I trashed around and fought, he said he was fed up with my childish act and pierced my mom's skin with the dagger that I held in my hand. We sliced horizontally, blood spraying all over my face in spurts as we did it. I heard a gurgling sound and realized my mother was choking on her own blood as she tried to breathe." The sorrowful convulsive sound that emanated from deep inside the master's chest resembled more the howl of a wolf than the voice of a man. He gasped for breath between sobs, an unending stream of tears rolling down his face and ending up in the soil. The master crumpled in Seth's arms, seeking solace in the arms of his lover. Seth tried to blink away the tears that were welling in the corners of his eyes and making his vision blurry. All around him he started noticing the dead flowers rotting away on the floor, the cold appearance of the stone that held Sarah's name, the utter silence around them. The beautiful garden had turned into what it was, a cemetery.

"A soldier opened the door and said there was some altercation. They released me and my mother before running out. I caught my mother as she collapsed, thankfully she was already unconscious. I sat on the floor and pulled her to my lap asking for her forgiveness over and over again. I had killed my own mother, if I wouldn't have been a coward I would've phased and before we both knew it I would be gone. I watched her chest rise and fall with difficulty, then it stopped. She was gone… my mommy was gone forever." Jacob's sounded like a scared little boy on a stormy night. His whole body shook violently, more than would be needed for phasing. He would never stop grieving his mother, nobody expected him to. It was the only thing he could do to mitigate the pain of the loss. He knew he would never get over losing his mother, but needed to learn to live with it without wallowing in self-pity. Easier said than done, the truth was that the vast emptiness his mother's passing left couldn't be filled.

"Oh my God mommy I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to do it, please mom believe me please…" Jacob threw himself over his mother's grave and fisted handfuls of dirt while wailing in desperation. Seth knew he needed this and didn't interfere. He stood back for some time and when his master slowly began regaining his composure he sat up and the slave immediately rounded his chest with his arms. The master knelt on the moist ground while Seth hugged him from behind. Digging his face into his master's back and clinging to him firmly, even though he did it for Jake's benefit and not his own. Eventually the alpha's cries subsided into whimpers and then ceased altogether.

"I don't know how much time passed before the door flung open and my father ran in. His face contorted in horror and pain when he realized his mate was gone. Like a flash of light in the dark night my mother's life shone brightly and died quickly. He took her from me and wailed as the anguish of his wounded heart overwhelmed him. Carlisle came towards me and looked at my back with concern etched on his features. He took some salve and tried to lather it on but I batted his hand away. I didn't want anybody to touch me, I didn't deserve it."

"We walked out of that damn room and went up some steep stairs. The room was located in some basement. The light of the sun blinded me for a few seconds until I got accustomed to it again. I took in my surroundings and saw my father's pack piling bodies to burn them. I felt a sick satisfaction when I saw the alpha, the one who with my help killed my mother, burn to a crisp. Carlisle suggested to my father that they should burn my mother's body or bury her there. To both suggestions my father gave a deep throaty no. His voice was filled with sorrow and thick with tears. They wrapped my mother's body with a clean bed sheet and after my father phased they secured her to his back. Carlisle carried me on his back since he insisted I shouldn't phase. The next day we laid her body to rest here. From that moment my father gave the order forbidding any wolf to set foot in this place."

"When I was strong enough I went to my father and confessed what I had done. I told him I understood if he banished me, that anything wouldn't come close to the pain I felt for what happened. He didn't reply, no sound escaped his lips. My father turned his back to me and asked me to leave his presence. That was the first time I disappointed him, unfortunately it was not the last. For weeks he didn't even look my way. He was in mourning for having lost the love of his life and the son he used to have. I became a hermit and hid in my room day and night. One day he walked in my room and told me he forgave me. A week later we went into battle and won. We offered our victory to my mother but there was no celebration. A little after that Edward arrived and my father at last had somebody who could understand him and could relate to the multitude of feelings he was experiencing. They helped each other, I think Ed is the only reason dad didn't take his life and dad is the only reason Ed didn't take his."

"As you can see my Seth I am the cowardly lion in the tin man's body. I have no courage and no heart." Stated Jacob sadly.

"You have more courage and more heart than you give yourself credit for. You are a good man, Jacob Black. I know that right now she is watching you from heaven and smiling, proud of the man you've become. Do not be ashamed of what happened or wonder what you could've done differently. That's all in the past now. This shame and regret you have been carrying is keeping you in shackles. As long as you don't shake off that weight from your shoulders your hands will still be bound with those chains. They will prevent you from growing and rising above all this. I'm certain that the instant the blade cut her skin she had already forgiven you. Now you owe it to her to forgive yourself." Seth's wisdom was pure; it came from a gentle spirit. He had seen all the horrors men were capable of, but raised above all that filth. Just by surviving he had already won the battle. He wanted his master to realize that he had not been put on this earth to live like a monster, he was meant to be much more. The slave wanted to save his master, to help him free himself from his past. What the sub didn't know was that just by being part of his master's life he had already achieved that. Seth had made Jacob's life be worth living.

"You don't know that, she could be scowling at me for everything I've done."

"Nah, she can see into your heart better than I can, if I can see what a wonderful and loving man you are, so can she. It's not about leading a perfect life, that's impossible. You live the best life you can in spite of everything that's happened to you. You've showed me that there is still good in this world. You've given me hope and that my Jake is the best gift you can give a person."

"You are the gift that your mother gave me."


	27. Chapter 27

**A big thank you to everybody who added the story to their alerts, favorite story or favorite author. I'm especially grateful to those of you who wrote me reviews, you have no idea how much it means to me when I read your comments.**

**Wolf's Business First of all, thank you so much for your kind words. About sub pregnancy, it was only mentioned once before, in the first chapter, this is the part: **There were extremely strange instances where a submissive could bear children. There had been only six submissives with such luck and none in the last twenty years. **This is why Jacob was not surprised.**

**Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, I only borrow them to please my overactive imagination**

**Chapter 27**

After spending the rest of the morning sitting under a tree in Sarah's garden, they returned to their home. Jacob had used that time to tell his submissive stories and anecdotes about his mother. He lived many of these tales and others were shared by his father in an effort to help them both mourn and honor her. Seth sat back and allowed his master to recall every small detail he remembered about his mother's life. The slave wished he would've had the joy of meeting her. He was saddened because such a good loving mother left way before her time while his own… well he chose not to think about her.

Even though he never met her Seth could see many of Jacob's mother traits in his master. She was decisive and impulsive, loving and emotional without being overly sensitive. He didn't judge his master for what he did; after all he was but a pup and had been tortured. That was something the slave understood all too well, how pain was a destructively effective way of persuasion. The submissive was not deluding himself; he knew that Jacob could've made a much different choice. In the aftermath of his mother's death, instead of turning against the cruelty he had been subjected to, he embraced it.

Seth wondered what was different about him. What propelled his master to decide and keep him alive when he had killed so many before him. He didn't bother to ask, he doubted Jake knew. As soon as they came into view from the house the dynamic between them changed to master and slave. With Seth wearing his collar and walking several steps behind his master. Billy met them half way there. Approaching his son he hugged him, Jake's eyes were not red anymore and there was no sign on his face from his previous outpour. "How are you?" Asked Billy.

"Better than I've been in years. Dad, he didn't judge me. I told him everything and instead of being appalled by my actions he understood." Jacob spoke in a very soft voice, they were standing in the middle of the yard but one could never underestimate the strength of a wolf's hearing.

"He is a better person than me. I've told you before, but I'm sorry son. You lost your mom and I was not there to comfort you. Instead of being the father that my Sarah believed I was, I turned into something she would've been ashamed to call her husband. I should've handled things differently." Billy held his son's face between his hands, their eyes shining bright with suspended but unspilled tears.

"He is an angel dad; mom would've liked him so much." Jacob lamented with a heavy heart.

Billy smiled sadly with his face towards the sky, the rays of the afternoon sun bathing his face with light. "I'd like to think she sent him to you."

The conversation was interrupted when Jake's stomach growled loudly and as if awakened by the sound, Seth's tummy mimicked his master's. The slave held his middle in an effort to coax the sounds to stop. The master couldn't help thinking how adorable he looked with the blushing that covered his face, but decided to get going so they could eat. Arriving at the kitchen Seth got to work and in no time had a tray ready for his master. The slave could see his master was exhausted not only from all the work but from the intense morning. His eyes were slowly drooping while he ate. The slave observed him, amused; waiting for his master to fall face first on his food.

Seth sat next to his master as he slept. The slave didn't want to work around the room as to not wake up his master and the room was spotless anyway. He kept busy reading another one of the books in Jake's extensive library. "What are you reading?' Jacob's voice startled the submissive, making him drop the book on his lap.

"Did I wake you?" Asked Seth, he had been very careful, making sure to avoid any excessive sound even when passing the pages.

"Nah I've never been one to sleep much during the day, but you didn't answer my question."

"Inheritance; it's the last book of the Inheritance cycle. You have the complete series. I started the first book soon after I got here. You were gone most of the day so I had enough time to get some reading done. In the winter I had to be sneakier since you spent so much time in the room." Confessed Seth while his master played with his hands making little circles on his knuckles before bringing them to his lips where he proceeded to slide his lips slowly over them.

"Will you believe me if I tell you I haven't read any of the books in my library. I would like to, but I'm not disciplined enough I guess."

"It's not lack of discipline, you work a lot. In the winter when you are not that busy we can read together."

"That sounds good, but why wait to do stuff together then? Why don't we start now?" The master's voice progressed from a casual conversation to an alluring sexual sound that awoke Seth's sexual urges. Jake knew how to work his puppy, to ignite the embers of his desire that never went out completely and would be set ablaze at the slightest provocation.

Jacob moved in an almost feline way and gently shifted Seth until he laid on his back. The master then proceeded to straddle him on all fours, slowly working his way down rubbing one of his firm hands on the submissive's side while kissing his lips softly. "Baby I love talking with you but I'm kind of horny."

"And when aren't you? Seth couldn't remain unresponsive even if he tried, the softness of his master's lips as they glided them over his skin made him sigh without meaning to. He had been touched more times than he cared to remember but the new intimacy he shared with his master was something different and wonderful. Any contact between his master's lips and his bare skin caused little flutters in his stomach. His hands made the aching lust that resided under his skin come to the surface to be sated.

"Right after we're done, for about ten minutes… Then I'm horny again." They both breathily laughed at Jake's comment. He loved every time he saw glimpses of his master's true personality shine through. They could go from laughing to cuddling to unbridled sex without even thinking about it. Their hearts and their bodies led the way, they just followed.

The master removed Seth's clothes, tossing them aside. There was no resistance from the submissive but if there was, it would be dissolved by the thirst inside his being that could only be quenched by his master. The slave placed his arms above his head to give his lover access to his whole body. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the warm hands that were worshipping his body with religious reverence. Seth observed Jacob's playful smile which would grab him by his heartstrings. He loved the alpha; more than he loved anything, even his own life. Seth knew that the troubles of their past would only be surpassed by the tribulations of the future, but as long as they were together they would withstand any storm brewing in the horizon.

They made love with every inch of their body. Their fingertips caressed sensitive skin that rose into goosebumps at the contact. Lips that wouldn't give up until they had tasted and loved each other's skin. The gentle sliding of lips ignited into passion. A symphony of sounds that spelled love with every note. As tongues and legs were intertwined breath became ragged and skin sweaty. The lover's bodies melted against each other. The brush of their respective manhoods and the flicker of tongues on overly sensitive segments of skin were extremely arousing. Lust and desire coalescing into a warm sensation in their groins as Jake got to work on the sub's neck. This caused a blast of need to engulf them. The slave reached his cock to relieve the dull ache but his hand was batted away and replaced by a much warmer one. The crown was slick with pre-cum and he pumped lazily along its length. The musky scent of sex filled each one of their breaths.

"Jake please, this is torture."

"That's the point." Answered Jacob unlatching his lips from the slave's neck to answer.

The master lied on his back and pulled the slave towards him. Seth knew what to do; he could read his master's body language like the book that laid forgotten on the floor. The submissive maneuvered his body until he was over his master with his mouth wrapped around his dick while his cock was swallowed by the alpha. They sucked each other enjoying the taste and the sounds they produced on their partner. The pressure caused by the wet heat around their members made them both gasp for breath, but they wouldn't let go of the succulent treat in their mouths. Jacob's tongue swirled around the head while Seth's teased the sensitive underside.

Lost in the sensations Seth didn't pay attention when Jacob momentarily stopped sucking him and the sound of a drawer closing reached his ears. The cool sensation between his cheeks right before his master's finger was pushed inside him was completely new. The master alternated between sucking and swirling the slave's cock with pushing his finger inside him. Seth groaned when it began to be so unbearable it grew into hunger. A second finger soon joined the first; a deep moan vibrating in the submissive's mouth when Jake pegged his gland. The vibration almost caused the alpha to become undone but that was not in his plans.

The master held Seth's head to still his movements and maneuvered their bodies so the sub was again lying on his back with his head towards the foot of the bed. The slave observed as his master lathered something on his cock that made it glisten on the dim light of the late afternoon sun that entered through the windows. He squirmed in anticipation to feeling his master's length deep inside him. Jake stopped for an instant to admire his lover. He would never get over how beautiful the submissive looked when a light sheen of sweat covered his skin, his lips became plumper and his chest rose and sunk as he tried to catch his breath.

The master guided his cock to the slave's entrance and pushed slowly, giving him time to adjust. As Seth felt Jacob's warmth inside him his eyes connected with those of his master and a smirk traced over the alpha's mouth. The slave knew the reason, as the feeling of ecstasy built inside him the twinkle of mischief shone in his eyes. He reached to his master's face to caress it and wipe the sweat from over his eyebrows. They watched each other in rapt fascination, the desire inside them coming out and looking into their eyes. Jacob retreated but slammed back inside; making the submissive's back to arch and his head to shot back giving the alpha a clear shot at his neck. He took the opportunity and sucked on the sensitive flesh to his entire delight. The slave's member was trapped between their bodies and the sensation made him groan in pleasure.

Their hearts pounded inside their chests, the breath refusing to being controlled. They wanted the moment to last but it never did, they wanted to balance on the cusp of their orgasm without toppling down but they invariably fell. Jacob took hold of his submissive's cock and pumped a few times and Seth's seed shot up bathing his hand and dripping down on his stomach. The slave's climax caused his ass to spasm, clasping the alpha's cock on its grip and bringing him over the edge. As shivers of passion ran down their spines they whispered the name of their lover. Their spirits were bound like one, a perfect undisputed harmony. The intense passion they shared could transcend life and death. Ten lifetimes wouldn't be enough to sate it, it would last forever.

The two lovers were wrapped in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Jacob lying on his back with Seth's head on his chest as the slave lied on his stomach with one of his legs over his master. Jake absentmindedly ran his dull nails on Seth's back tickling him and making him sleepy in the process. The slave glided the pad of his fingers over his master's chest. Everything was so different, from the feelings and emotions they felt for each other to their cuddling after making love. The slave was not required to jump off the bed and run to the bathroom, quite the opposite. If the submissive tried to leave Jake held him in place which in more than one occasion led to another lovemaking session.

"Jake, there was something different today, you put something on. What was it?" Asked Seth curious about the mysterious slippery substance his master applied which made the whole experience all more pleasurable.

"It's a gel that Carlisle makes from some plant; I think the name is aloe. He grows it in the backyard by his office. It became a necessity when the guys started asking him for something to make _it_ easier, spit really doesn't cut it."

"I know what you mean." Seth's words made his master's heart ache and his brows furrow. The stamp of disapproval for his past actions embedded deep in his psyche.

Jacob pulled Seth up so his face rested on the crook of the alpha's neck. His strong arms formed a cocoon around the slave as they rocked in place. On this occasion he wouldn't say he was sorry. After apologizing for the umpteenth time words became useless and cheap. It would be his life mission to show the submissive how much he regretted the awful treatment he subjected him to. He would never get a chance to apologize to the ones that came before his pup, but hoped that at least they would be looking down from heaven and sigh relieved because one of their brother's was safe.

A week later Quil returned from one of his quests. To say he was forlorn was an understatement. Once again the hope of finding his brother had been crushed and turned to dust. He felt like giving up but knew he would never do such a thing. He was pleasantly surprised to see Seth looking healthier than ever. In the kitchen Edward and the slave shared glances that to anybody else would go unnoticed but caused a great curiosity on Quil. He was even more intrigued when his alpha told him to meet him in his room because they had something important to discuss.

"Jake it's me Quil, the door is locked, I can't go in!" Quil was very surprised to find the door locked. He didn't remember any other time the door had been locked, this was completely new.

The wolf heard the click on the door as it was unlocked. "Hello Quil, please come in. Are you by yourself?" Jacob opened the door and invited Quil inside. His stance was very different and very much unlike the alpha.

"Yes I'm alone. What do you want me for?" There was a certain degree of hostility coming from the soldier. As time passed and the reality that his brother might had faced the same luck as all of Jake's previous subs hit him, he projected his resentment towards his alpha.

Jacob told Quil to wait for him in his office and disappeared to the bedroom. The dominant's eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he saw Seth sitting comfortably on his master's chair. He kept looking around trying to figure out what was happening. Looking over his shoulder to see when the alpha would come back to set the slave back in his place. He didn't like it but unfortunately that was the norm and what he expected. "Seth what's going on?"

"Nothing, why do you ask?" Answered the slave casually.

Quil sat across from the slave, his body at the edge of the seat and his arms up in the air high and stiff. His voice was strained as he tried to control the volume, which was stupid since it was obvious Jake saw his submissive sitting on his chair. The slave was small, but not that small that he would pass unnoticed. "For starters you're sitting on your master's chair while he is in the other room." Said Quil while pointing towards the other room with his left hand.

"What's the problem with that? This chair is really comfy, you should try it. Wanna try it?" The slave's innocent charade wouldn't convince the soldier and he knew it. Quil was becoming infuriated but not with the slave, he was angry with his alpha. Was he using the slave to make fun of him?

"I don't want to try the fucking chair! I want you to stop this right now. For much less than this Jake beats you to a pulp!" Seth was making a monumental effort not to laugh, he almost felt bad for his friend. The slave could see his friend's flared nostrils, his face looked almost maroon and his shoulders shook even when he was not speaking. But his master had asked him to help prank the wolf and he would not fail the mission.

"I don't know what you're talking about; Jake has no problem with me sitting here." The submissive relaxed with his back against the backrest and swiveled from side to side.

"Jake?" Since when was a slave allowed to address his master by his first name? Never, absolutely never.

"Yes that's his name, c'mon Quil keep up." Seth allowed a small smile to creep up on his lips as he snapped his fingers at his friend.

Jake came into the office and moved towards the bookshelf behind Seth. When he walked by the slave Seth reached out and pinched his butt, startling him. Not even Jake could believe the sub's boldness. He liked it very much but he couldn't let it show. The slave was improvising and the master was thoroughly amused. "Mmm mmm mmm that one fine piece of ass." Said Seth huskily.

The submissive stood up and wrapped his arms around the master's torso from behind while rubbing himself on the alpha's behind. Making sure they were in an angle where Quil could see everything that was happening Seth reached down and to the front to grab Jake's crotch. "Seth you're such a slut." Barked Jacob before leaving the office.

"Me a slut? No babe, later when I get you in bed then you'll see who the bigger slut is. I'll have you moaning my name in no time." Said Seth to Jacob's retreating form. The alpha had to give the pup some credit; the kid had serious acting chops. He'll have to remember to do a little role playing with him one day.

"Babe? Are you shitting me? Seth, you're a slave and you just harassed your master. I know I'm not drunk, the only possible explanation is that I must be crazy because this cannot be happening." Quil kept shaking his head from side to side while pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his index finger.

"Quil you're not crazy, I don't know why you find the way we act so strange." Said Seth before lifting his legs to place his feet on top of the desk.

"Why? You ask me why? I just told you, none of this makes sense." Quil stood up bending over the desk to tap Seth's feet that laid on that piece of furniture. No wolf ever had been daring enough to attempt such a thing. Maybe there was at one that tried, but if that was the case he must be six feet under because there was no way he survived.

Jake walked back in the office, picked up the slave and pressed his lips against the slave's. The alpha nuzzled the submissive's neck before migrating to his ear to nibble on the earlobe. Seth placed one of his hands on the back of his master's head and gently pushed it against him to increase the contact while moaning lightly. They were putting quite a show for the other dominant in the room who couldn't peel his eyes off them no matter how hard he tried. He pinched himself to see if he was dreaming, but he was grateful he wasn't, it would be really messed up to be dreaming about his alpha and his slave making out. There was no other logical explanation; he must've stepped to an alternate dimension.

The master placed each one of his hands on the sides of Seth's head and kissed him tenderly. The sub laced his hands on his master's neck and eagerly returned the kiss. "Quil lighten up, it makes perfect sense." Stated Jacob before sitting down and pulling the submissive towards him. The slave immediately sat on his lap with his back resting against his master's chest. Quil didn't know what to think; the two furtive lovers looked happy and felt at peace. Unbeknownst to Quil they had planned the whole performance as a prelude to revealing the true nature of their relationship to the wolf.

"Brother, what do you see?" Asked Jacob to the wolf who at that moment seemed so perplexed Jacob and Seth almost felt guilty for playing with him.

"I have no idea what the hell I'm looking at. If this is a cruel joke, you have a twisted sense of humor. I doubt I'm dreaming because if I was Seth wouldn't be wearing that collar. Maybe it's temporary insanity since I know the least possible option is that it's true."

"Well you of little faith, sometimes you need to take a leap and believe with your heart what your mind tells you it's impossible. The fact is that what you're looking at is true." Even though Quil had to strain to hear Jacob's whispers his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Since when?" Asked the soldier, he still couldn't believe it but prayed it was true. He was happy for Seth but his joy also had slightly selfish reasons. If what he was witnessing was real, who said it was not possible for his brother to run with the same luck.

"Remember the trip the three of us took a while ago?" Understanding lit up Quil's expression. So many things made sense. Jake's protectiveness, going as far as hurting another dominant for trying to put the moves on the sub. Seth's attitude around his master, he still respected him but wasn't deathly afraid of him like he had been in the past. He always wondered what the alpha's reasons for sending him away were. At the time he wondered if he would see the submissive again. At that moment he understood his life had never been in jeopardy, quite the opposite.

Seeing the understanding in Quil's eyes Jacob nodded before continuing. "As of today Edward, my father and now you know the truth. We decided to bring you into the loop because I need help to guarantee his safety. In the winter it will be easy since I won't travel as much but as of now I need somebody in the house at all times that I could trust with the better part of me. Quil he is…everything to me." The alpha had to stop to compose himself. He had not found the perfect moment to confess his love to the submissive but his small declaration made both his heart and his puppy's leap inside their chests. Seth craned his neck to look at his lover, his eyes glistening with the emotion he was experiencing. His hope was that he meant to his master as much as his master meant to him, but never in his wildest dreams he thought he would verbalize it, much less in front of one of his wolves.

Sensing Seth's excitement the master hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head. "Quil, can I count on you?"

Quil was flabbergasted, Jacob Black was in love with a slave. Many people use the expression _weirder things had happened_ but Quil couldn't think of anything more unlikely. He doubted his eyes and his sanity as he observed the two lovers sitting before him. The slave perfectly at ease on his master arms and the master looking at peace for the first time in years. "Jake it will be my honor; I swear I will protect him with my own life if necessary."

The slave jumped off his master's lap to go hug his friend and newest protector. He felt honored that he was deemed worthy of these men putting their lives in the line for him. "Thank you Quil!"

Jacob also stood up and walked toward his friend, he waited until Seth moved aside and the two dominants melted in an embrace. Billy was right; Quil would be an excellent addition to their little band of misfits. Many would call them slave lovers, but to them it was not an insult. There was something very special about these seemingly helpless men. Most dominants were just too dumb or too blind to see what was right in front of their faces.

To add another set of concerns and test the already frazzled nerves of all the dominants, but especially the members of the Black household, the council began a campaign which only purpose was the removal of subs from their master's houses. Many landowners, Billy included, agreed that the council was getting desperate. They resorted to recycling slaves as a way to obtain revenue and support their frivolous lifestyles. The system was as simple as it was brilliant. They would come up with any made up noncompliance to the laws involving the treatment of subs. After they presented their case to the masters they would offer a compensation which the dominants usually accepted. Then they would take the slave and sell it for three times the amount of the compensation. The whole process was seamless and everybody won. The new owner would obtain a _fresh _slave, the previous owner could buy a new one and the council will procure a hefty profit.

Jacob had to leave to negotiate a barter agreement with sellers from the South. He wanted to get a good deal for his family but hated that he had to leave his pup behind. What he really wanted was to go back home as soon as possible to snuggle in bed with his boyfriend. These negotiations were seriously interfering with the lovers' quality time. It killed him to know he was a good twelve hours away from Seth, they missed each other terribly. The night before he left they made love and stayed in each other's embrace until the morning. Every time the master left, the slave felt an empty coldness in the pit of his stomach. The submissive would sit by the window and keep vigil on the days his master was scheduled to come back. The slave could only sleep a few hours, the room felt empty and the bed was cold. Both men were not at ease until they were reunited. They had indeed turned into each other's biggest asset and an even bigger weakness.

Paul had been patrolling since dawn, the burn on the muscles of his legs attested to the fact that he had been running non-stop for over six hours. Paul as Jake's beta took over his responsibilities while he was away. All his responsibilities but one, the most important of them all, he wouldn't go near Seth. He came to a halt when a whisper-like sound reached his thoughts. There was nothing concrete, just bits and pieces. But even with such little information he knew it meant bad news. It was the council, their presence invariably meant trouble. They hadn't been to the manor in almost four years since Billy was pretty much untouchable and Jacob disposed of slaves so fast that he singlehandedly was keeping them in the lap of luxury. For years they had nothing to worry about as far as the council was concerned, what changed?

_This is Paul Lahote, beta to Jacob Black. How can I help you honorable members of the council? _There were very few things Paul hated more than kissing the ass of those pompous jerks. But he had been instructed by Billy himself to be respectful. All he wanted was to tell them to go fuck themselves and that thought filled the beta with deep satisfaction. He knew he couldn't do it though, it would be counterproductive.

_We have no business with you wolf, carry on. _After their brief retort they cut the communication and silenced their thoughts. There was no doubt in Paul's mind that they were up to something. The little he got to see indicated they ran in the direction of the manor, they had already passed the juncture that led to Sam's house. He had a really bad feeling about this. His alpha had phased and he couldn't communicate with him and he didn't want to relay any message, he was not sure how well he could hide his thoughts.

The council would arrive at the manor in less than an hour he needed to think. What could they want there? Then it hit him, he knew what they wanted. The sons of bitches were going to take Seth away! That had to be it; everybody had been talking about it. It was more than obvious that the submissive was being treated in ways that went against the laws and regulations of the council. Paul knew there were spies in the house, not only to the council but to the west as well. It was a matter of time before they caught on and came to fetch the slave.

Paul knew what he needed to do; there was no time to notify Billy. Even if the Aleph was notified he was out in the fields and it would take him a good thirty minutes to get to the house. The beta made a decision that he knew would secure his position in the annals of the worst father in the world. He didn't care if his alpha beat him up, he would heal. Sophia was the apple of his eye and her opinion of him was the only one that really mattered. His little girl would be devastated when she learned what her father had done. She loved the submissive and referred to him as her best friend. The beta had to put everything in a balance; if he didn't do anything and the slave was taken away his daughter would be overcome with grief. At least if he took matters into his own hands she would eventually forgive him, when she was old enough to understand the reasons behind his decision.

Sure of his decision Paul took off in a race against time. The trees and shrubs became a blur as he ran towards the manor at full speed. He entered the house through one of the back doors and climbed the stairs two steps at a time. "Seth open up! It's Paul, it's important."

Concerned that Paul might be the bearer of bad news Seth opened the door without giving it a second thought. The beta stormed in the room slamming the door behind him and locking it. The slave observed him, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest. "The council is coming." Paul's words filled the submissive with fear. What could the council want in the house?

"I think they're coming for you, dog. My little girl is going to hate me and my alpha will probably demote me but this is the only way. One day she will understand I'm doing this for all of you." Seth was still trying to wrap his mind around Paul's words when suddenly everything turned black. When the initial shock wore down and he opened his eyes, he could see red through one of his eyes. He had experienced that many times before, he was looking through his blood. Paul was pummeling him faster than Seth could conjure a thought. The slave hadn't recover from the first blow when the second one landed on his nose, he could smell and taste the blood. Paul was acting like a wrecking ball, pounding the submissive's body without mercy. The slave bent forward as the air was pushed out of his chest by a kick to the abdomen; astonishingly it had not been so hard but caught him by surprise.

The punishment continued for an undetermined amount of time. Seth's face felt numb and achy at the same time. It was strange that every punch seemed to be calculated and had a purpose. They varied in intensity and Paul finished by grabbing the slave's biceps and leaving an imprint of his fingers on his arms. "That's done; now take off your clothes slave…"


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello! I want to thank everyone who took the time to read, alert, favorite and especially those of you who reviewed. Thank you for your continuous support it means the world to me. Sorry I took longer to update but I had a very good reason :( **

**Senpai I'm sorry but I couldn't find the story you recommended. Maybe the name of the author will help me find it. **

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Twilight, its plot or any recognizable characters. **

**Chapter 28**

"That's done; now take off your clothes slave…" Paul's words didn't register with the slave; he refused to believe what he was hearing. Not only had he beaten him, not the worst beating of his life but bad enough. He could feel the throbbing pain in his nose but the rest of his face felt mostly numb. But now the dominant wanted him to take off his clothes? To what avail?

Paul had been the one wolf who not only expressed a complete disinterest on the slave, he was very vocal about the way he felt about him. He was simply disgusted by the submissives. It killed him to see his daughter associate with the small wolf. Seth was well aware that if it wasn't for Emily he wouldn't be allowed to be twenty feet from Sophia. The slave wondered what made him change his mind, what caused the dominant to decide after a year that he wanted to join all the other men that had taken advantage of the sub.

Seth was being ordered to remove his clothes and there was only one reason for a sub to be asked to strip. Paul was going to force himself on him. After months of being in a loving and caring relationship the slave thought that his days of biting down a pillow to muffle his screams were over. No such luck, again fate decided to fuck him up for no reason. The submissive doubted his sanity when in such dire circumstances all he could think of was his master's face when he learned about what happened. Was this the end of the line for the slave? He doubted it; after all he was certain his master loved him. Seth felt he would be disappointing his master if he allowed this to happen.

The slave took several steps back until the back of his legs touched the footboard of his master's bed. He couldn't let this happen, for him, for his master but especially for their love. "S…s… sir please no." Seth's voice trembled as he spoke without authorization.

"What's the big deal? Oh damn, you think I want to fuck you?" Seth nodded his head nervously. "Please don't flatter yourself; I wouldn't touch you even if they paid me. You need to remove those clothes because they are stained with blood, not only that, they have my scent all over them. So hurry up!"

"Don't leave; there is something else I need to do." The slave turned so his back was towards Paul. It was ridiculous to think that after the life he had been forced to live he would be modest about his body. Since falling in love with Jake the slave felt he owned all his loyalty to the alpha and that included his body. Seth pulled his shirt over his head and pushed his pants down stepping aside to pick them up. Holding them in front of him to hide his nudity he turned to face the dominant.

"Dog you need to trust me, turn around and bend over." Seth's eyebrows rose on his forehead as he eyed Paul, distrust rolling off him in waves. He questioned his motivation for such an odd request.

"Fuck! This has taken long enough; if it wasn't for my little girl I wouldn't put my hands on you. I'm not doing myself any favors, Jake is going to rip my fucking balls off and make me eat them." The dominant turned Seth roughly and placed his hand flat on the slave's back to make him bend over. Seth whimpered when he felt a very hot pair of hands pressing on his hips painfully. Paul was making an imprint of his hands on the submissive's hips but the slave, for the life of him, couldn't understand his motivation. Actually the whole situation was very confusing. So far the dominant had beaten him and now was bruising his hips but how could this help him?

When Paul was finished he ordered Seth to shower to wash his scent off his body and opened all the windows to aerate the room. The ever obedient slave did as instructed and donned his oldest dingiest clothes. All he had left to do was to wait, he paced back and forth in their room stopping every once in a while to peek out the window. He wished Jacob was there with him, the alpha's presence always calmed him down. It was hard to believe that the scent he used to hate became so comforting and the person he feared above all others became as essential to him as breathing.

Seth observed as several wolves emerged from between the trees. There were more than he expected. When Paul said the council was coming he thought that a delegation would show up at their doorstep. Little did he know that the greed of the council members far surpassed their common sense and neither one of them trusted the man beside him. They knew that they would betray each other in the blink of an eye. If there was a margin of profit they wouldn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary to obtain it. The wolves ran towards the house flanked by several soldiers, some that were probably their escorts and several from Billy's pack. The uneasiness was so tangible that it felt like a swarm of bees ready to painfully sting their victim to death.

Before reaching the door the members of the council paused their running to phase back into their human selves and their companions handed them a cloth bag with their clothes. They wouldn't dare tie their clothes to their leg like all the other wolves did, that was beneath them. The soldiers all stayed in their wolf forms, the hackles on their necks standing straight up. The hostility could be felt by every single wolf that encountered them. The council had that effect in people; every bad feeling came to the surface by their mere presence.

They were greeted at the door by none other than Edward, in Billy's and Jacob's absence he was the only other alpha in the house. Never before had he felt the need to claim his position in the house but he suspected what the council was planning and recognized that he needed to protect Seth, with his life if necessary. He still didn't have much on an appreciation for Jacob. After all he had executed more men than any other wolf he knew. The cook was resentful for all of Jake's evil deeds. Others would be able to forgive him and maybe one day he would too but for now he watched each one of his movements, waiting for the time bomb to explode.

"Good afternoon gentlemen." Greeted Edward coldly.

"I can't believe William Black sent the hired help to welcome us into his home. I tell you, the entitlement of the Aleph is beyond any understanding. This is a slap in the face, he is acting like a demi-god and he deserves to be knocked down a few pegs." Hissed Aron, the leader of the council. He was very tall but thin, which gave him a lanky appearance. He seemed to compensate for being a useless sack of flesh by acting like the arrogant fool he had proved many times that he was. His eyes were cruel and his aura black as the darkest night. He would sell his own mother if that meant making a profit. His moral fiber could only be compared to that of a disease infested rat.

"Gentlemen, Billy means no disrespect, he holds you in his highest regard. As you know the harvest was quite successful and Billy personally supervises the processing and storage of all the grain." Stated Edward calmly, even though his wolf was gnawing at him trying to come out to deal with what he felt a serious threat. This was a feeling usually reserved for when they confronted a leech but Ed's loathing towards the council made him see red and the instinct that ordered him to kill came to the surface.

"We know very well how he tends to his duties, but that is no excuse for this rude behavior. Can you believe it brothers? A fucking cook greeting us? At least a soldier would have been more dignified." Mocked Cai; he had never liked Edward. He knew him from the time when Ed led his pack and always envied him. He was elated when the cook lost his pack and felt no remorse for celebrating his defeat.

"I apologize if my presence annoys you. But please come in, I'm sure you must be parched. There is cold lemonade to quench your thirst." Edward was making a monumental effort to be diplomatic; though his apology was as fake as the ethics of the council members. He was willing to do everything in his power to protect the submissives. He excused himself to the kitchen to fetch the drinks. He could've asked a servant to bring them but then he wouldn't have the pleasure of spitting in each cup. The cook asked one of the servants who was kind to Seth to shift and tell Jacob the council was in his house, nothing more, nothing less. Ed knew that they were most likely monitoring all the communication in and out of the house. Jacob would understand the gravity of the situation just by being notified of their wretched presence.

Jacob ardently asked the cook to look after his treasure, his little wolf. But there was another submissive that Edward couldn't get out of his mind. He would be eternally grateful for the fact that Sam was constantly absent. He would leave for days usually leaving Embry locked in their room. The cook lived for those occasions, he knew many of Sam's servants and that made seeing Embry much easier. He invariably would find the slave hungry and hurt. Embry's healing abilities were amazing but sometimes a little something extra was needed. Edward brought him food and he would bandage his wounds when needed.

The cook lived proud of his wolf, sometimes he would just sit back and observe his simple beauty. He admired the resilience of the submissives. They went through hell on a daily basis and still held on to life with both hands. Embry loved Ed's visits, after all he found him very handsome and more importantly since he phased no other wolf had treated him the way Ed did. When a person lives without loving human contact for so long they become cold but that was not Embry's case. The cook reveled in the warmth that exuded from the submissive. Edward didn't acknowledge any special feelings towards the slave. As far as he was concerned he was doing an act of charity, bringing companionship to somebody who was hungry for both food and affection.

The group moved to the sitting area with some of the soldiers keeping guard on the entrances. "May I ask what's the purpose of the two soldiers that are patrolling around the house? We're safe here; there are more than enough soldiers in the woods to protect all of us." Nothing escaped Edward's attention and he was very curious about the two soldiers patrolling the perimeter of the house.

"They are making sure that some idiot won't try to sneak the slave out of here. You have no idea how many times this has happened." Edi was the only member of the council Edward could stomach. He trained alongside Edward and Benjamin. His skin was darker than most wolves since his mother was African American. Edi was unique among the mythical creatures that surrounded him. A strong soldier with the physical prowess of an alpha but without the arrogance. His head always sported cornrows that covered his entire head. He was polite, respectful and not power hungry as the others. He almost seemed out of place among those vultures.

"Oh, so this visit is about the slave." Mumbled Edward to himself. He was suspicious but their little rant confirmed it. The council was there for Seth, apparently there were more rats in their home than they initially estimated.

"Indeed it is. You didn't think this was a social visit did you? Please, we wouldn't travel for days without a good reason." Spat Aron.

"And what makes you think anybody here would risk imprisonment for helping a dog?" Edward could win an award for his theatrics, pretending to be nauseated by the mere mention of the slaves.

"You would be surprised; some masters create a very unhealthy relationship with their slave. They break the law and then have the audacity to protest when we take the slave away. At the end they always let go of their submissive but it's quite a hassle. Our laws were created to have control among the chaos caused by the pandemic. If some wolves begin breaking our laws and nobody does anything to correct them we risk anarchy." Christopher was not necessarily the smartest wolf but he could bullshit like the best of them. Edward had never heard such a load of crap in his entire life. The cook even doubted that he knew the meaning of the word anarchy. He was probably repeating some script they had created for these situations.

At that moment Billy walked in, he took his time and walked calmly towards the group but not before stopping to talk to one of his soldiers. He had no intention of giving them more importance than they deserved, which was not much since he saw them as nothing more than the piles of shit left by the horses in the field. He eyed the group and nodded to Edward who understood the hidden message. He was not to leave them. "Gentlemen, what brings you to my home?" Greeted Billy without an ounce of enthusiasm.

"We have an important matter to discuss; there have been disturbing reports of irregularities in this house and we came to investigate." Billy could almost see the gears moving inside Aron's head as he savored the power trip he got every time he got to fuck with somebody's life.

"Irregularities in my home? And who informed you of these supposed wrongdoings in my house?" Asked Billy feigning ignorance.

"That's not important, don't try to steer the conversation away from the matter at hand." Christopher answered defensively. His reaction didn't surprise Billy but it still angered him. The council was out for blood; what they didn't know was that if they insisted in their witch hunt the blood that would be spilled was theirs. The Aleph knew how important Seth was to his son and he wouldn't risk his son's happiness for anything. The change in Jacob had been very dramatic and he had the submissive to thank. If they needed to fight for their independence from the council they would. Nobody had done it, but it was something to consider.

"I think we'll be more comfortable discussing this in my office. Please Edward, will you accompany us?" Billy's request seemed strange to the cook. If trouble loomed all the Aleph needed to do was say one word and the office would be flooded with so many wolves nobody would be able to blink. The cook wouldn't question the request though. He knew that Billy had to have some kind of plan to deal with this situation.

The group followed Billy to his office; the tension was so thick they could almost see it. Edward was the last one to go in and closed the door behind him to prevent one of the council's protectors to come in the office with them. The cook stood by the door ready to act the second Billy gave the order. He measured his opponents like any good fighter would do. He might be rusty but once an alpha always an alpha.

"Ok gentlemen what are these irregularities you speak of? If there is anything illegal going on in my house I need to know. I run a tight ship and there have never been any complaints before."

"You may or may not be surprised when I tell you that the offending party is none other than your son. The report we received states that he has failed to comply with the rules and regulations regarding the treatment of slaves." Edward felt his blood boil and he bit his lip to avoid growling at the son of a bitch that had the floor. It was acceptable to rape and torture another human being but it was against the law to treat them fairly and with compassion. It was ridiculously messed up. The cook feared what waited for them in the future. Instead of making the world a better place they had managed to turn it into a big cesspool.

"What does his failures consists of?" Edward and Billy exchanged looks before the Aleph's eyes landed on Aron once more.

"For starters his slave has been seen partaking in the consumption of food that is not provided by his master. No wonder he looks like a porker according to our sources. Also he is downright haughty when treating others that are way above him, which is basically everyone. Apparently your son has given him so much liberty, the dog believes he is more than he is. Jacob is not correcting these behaviors and this beast is getting out of his hands. But the worst and most disturbing thing we heard is that it's believed your son has romantic feelings towards his bitch." Billy let out a boisterous laugh at the last statement. Edward had to wash the shock off his face to help the Aleph keep the façade.

"Sorry for laughing but I think you have been fooled my friends. Do you realize how ridiculous these allegations are? Do you remember you're talking about Jacob Black? Believe me, I wished my son was not the cruel sadist that he is, but his reputation precedes him and I'm afraid that has not changed."

"That's not what we've heard." Christopher observed Billy intently, his eyes nothing more than slits. It was like he was trying to read the Aleph's mind.

"Gentlemen, do not confuse politeness with weakness; you will not come into my home and call me a liar." Billy sat forward placing his interlaced hands on top of the desk with barely controlled strength. He couldn't lose his cool; if he slammed his hands on the desk with all the strength his anger produced, they would go through the thick wood like a knife through butter. His face showed a disapproving frown and sported an angry smile that was more threatening than any snarl. His words flowed slowly, his voice acquiring the natural deep dominant tone that characterized him.

"We do not dare to disrespect you, but these are conflicting reports. Does he or does he not have a healthy weight?" Asked Edi, his tone much different than the others.

"As a matter of fact he does." This statement made the four members of the council exchange looks. "You see, my son's libido is through the roof, nothing new there. He insists on having some cushion for the pushin' if you know what I mean. The same goes to his disciplining, if there is need for an attitude adjustment that is taken care of in the bedroom. I have to give it to the slave though, he never screams when he is being _disciplined_. Even though the bruises speak for themselves."

"Well we would like to see the slave. It's not that we don't trust you. But we need to see with our own eyes."

"Of course, Edward could you please go get the slave and bring him here?" The cook studied Billy's face looking for clues that could direct him to the meaning of the Alephs words. He couldn't find any, Billy's expression was serene and eerily calm. Edward decided to trust him and fetch the submissive.

Edward entered Jake's room after the slave unlocked the door to let him in. He was shocked to see the submissive's appearance. It had been months since he last saw so many bruises on him. This angered him but at the same time it bathed him with relief. "What the fuck! Who hurt you?"

"I can't say sir; he just said that the council was coming," The slave was in submissive mode, eyes fixated on the floor, hands by his sides and total hopelessness. It was second nature for Seth to revert to his old behaviors. Taking on the role of respectful slave was as easy as breathing. Sometimes he even wondered if he would ever be able to act normally under stressful circumstances.

Seth was not so much scared for himself than he was for what could happen to Jacob. He survived so much already, at least he got to experience joy for the first time since he could remember. If they took him away he could die of sadness but his status would not change. To a dominant he was nothing but a punching bag and a hole to fuck and that would never change. What worried him was his master's reaction, would he be ok? The slave felt his master would go after him and that worried him. The council had been given too much power and every time somebody followed them blindly it gave them even more power. If his master went after him he could be imprisoned or even killed. Billy could rescue him but there was no guarantee he would make it in time.

Edward moved towards the slave and placing his arms around his shoulders pulled Seth towards him. For the slave the hug was reassuring, divine even, but it was not the same, this was not his wolf. Still the submissive clung to him seeking protection. He needed to be comforted by his master, unfortunately Jake was not around. Edward's scent was different and even the way Seth's body fit against his chest felt foreign. But Ed was there and he was willing to comfort him. "Seth you must come with me, don't worry we are not going to let those animals take you. But I have the feeling that whoever beat you did all of us a big favor."

Meanwhile over eight hundred miles away Jacob was signing the barter agreement. "Gentlemen it's been a pleasure doing business with you." Stated the master sincerely.

"I can't help feeling like we just got screwed." There was humor in Daniel's voice as he looked at the alpha arching an eyebrow and almost closing one eye in a very funny way.

The negotiations had gone without a hitch. Every part involved was satisfied and all that was left was for Jake and his group to have lunch so they could be on their way. The master was anxious to leave, he felt uneasy since he woke up that day. Going as far as sending his wolves on a recon mission but they came back with nothing to report. His mind was hundreds of miles away, it was in the place his soul resided, his little submissive.

"Jacob excuse me, one of the servants back at the house phased and asked me to tell you the council is there."

"What?! No no no no…!" Jacob shot off his seat, ran outside and phased mid jump before taking off in the direction of his home. His wolves followed him, calling for him to stop but he wouldn't. Their voices didn't even register with him.

_Jacob slow down we can't keep up with you. _Quil tried to get his friend's attention. Jake's thoughts were all jumbled in a mess of memories and images all scrambled together. All the trees and shrubs became blurry as he ran faster than he ever ran before. He couldn't slow down, there was too much at stake.

The alpha didn't care about the burning sensation in the muscles of his legs or the unreal and intense thirst. This frantic race against time was all that mattered. Flecks of leaves and branches came in contact with his eyes causing him to blink but he never missed a step. The rays of the sun filtered through the thinning canopy, their position giving them an idea of what time it was and how long they had been running. The blanket of leaves crunched under their heavy paws. The wolves slipped on slick rocks, some of them falling into the slow moving stream. Still their alpha didn't slow down.

_Jake calm down, your father and Edward are there, they will not let anything happen to him. _Once more Quil voice came into Jake's mind. He wanted to help the alpha; he could hear the wild beating of his heart. Not even during the fiercest battles had he seen Jacob panic, but the idea of losing the submissive filled him with fear, turning him into a different person.

_What if they are not there, those bastards can just walk in grab Seth and leave. I will not know where to look; I'll never see him again. _Jacob was creating all sorts of images in his head and none of them were good. He didn't see a happy ending in the horizon if his little wolf was taken. He pictured himself like Quil, in an endless quest for someone who could be long gone.

_Brother that's highly unlikely. Who knows, Seth is very clever maybe he can get himself out of trouble. _Quil was trying to inject some positivism on his alpha, his pessimism was warranted but they couldn't lose hope.

_He won't, he sees himself as a slave and obeys blindly. You know very well that if those bastards tell him to jump, he will jump. If they tell him to bend over he will do it. If they hurt him I'll hunt them down and kill each one of them but that won't bring my puppy back. _Quil knew the alpha was dead serious. He decided to let him be and instead of trying to calm him down joined him in his panic. Seth couldn't disappear like Albert did, not him, not again.

Back in the house Edward and Seth stood up by the door that led to Billy's office. The cook squeezed the slave's shoulder gently to let him know he was there. The submissive wouldn't be alone; he had somebody in his corner. When they entered the office instantly all the eyes in the room landed on the slave. Seth moved hastily and kneeled before the members of the council without lifting his face for even one second. It was unnerving to be under such scrutiny. The submissive hated it; bad memories from the times he had been auctioned came to mind. The way he stood naked on the chopping block, dozens of eyes on him and dozens of cocks lusting after him. He had never been before the council. Jacob and Billy dripped authority and power but the slave didn't feel any power coming from the council. His master was right, this was a group of clowns; charlatans who would sell their soul to the devil if that would give them some income.

"Slave, stand up and take off your clothes." Seth did as instructed and in no time stood bare before all the dominants in the room. Billy couldn't bring himself to look at his nakedness; it would be like betraying his son. Instead he observed Edward's reaction and became very concerned when he saw his frown and furrowed eyebrows. There was something disturbing about the eerie silence in the room. The Aleph felt the bitter taste of bile when his stomach revolted from the scent of the combined arousals of the councilmembers.

The four bastards stood up and surrounded Seth, examining every inch of his body. It was humiliating and degrading. There was no honor, no compassion and no humanity. Seth wanted to disappear, to at least be able to wrap his arms around his middle to feel some sense of security. But he couldn't, a good slave didn't hide his body, a well-trained submissive had to be ready for whatever a dominant desired and be willing to accept it.

"When did your master discipline you and why?" Demanded Christopher.

Up until then Billy hadn't looked at Seth but Christopher's words propelled him to. That was when he noticed the multitude of bruises that marred the slave's skin. The Aleph couldn't believe his eyes. Jacob had been adamant about never hurting the slave, was all that a lie?

"I asked you a question, what are you waiting for?" Roared the wolf, raising his hand to slap the helpless slave.

"You didn't give him permission to speak" Intervened Edward. Moving closer to the wolf to grab his hand if it became necessary. Nobody was going to hit the slave, not on his watch.

"That's right; slave, speak up and don't lie. We know your master has been gone for a while and most of those bruises look only a few days old." Seth stood between a rock and a hard place. The slave didn't know how good a job had Paul done. For all that he knew he could've dug his grave, where he would be buried alive if he was caught lying. On the other hand the councilmember could be bluffing, he did say Jacob had been gone a while when in reality it had been less than a day. If he said the truth there wouldn't be any hope for him, if he lied at least there was still a glimmer of hope.

"My master disciplined me before he left." Answered the slave, he knew he should only answer the question. It would be counterproductive to elaborate.

"But that was several days ago, you liar!" Thundered Aron, An evil smirk appeared on his lips. He rubbed his hands together satisfied with the way things were going. He was already counting the money he would get from the sale.

"My son left yesterday morning." All eyes turned to Billy; he had moved from behind his desk and stood only a few steps from the group. If he was threatening from a distance he was terrifying up close. "Again your informants make you look bad; I would seriously reconsider the people you plant in my house to spy on me." He couldn't keep the jeer out of his voice and this made Aron's blood begin to boil.

Noticing his brother's predicament, Cai intervened with a new question to give Aron a few minutes to pull himself together. "Explain your injuries, where they all for one transgression?" Seth moved his head from side to side in negation.

"Explain; speak, dog." Aron stood very close to Seth trying to intimidate him. Maybe that way the slave would falter and stumble on his words.

"Well the one in my stomach..." Said Seth motioning a trembling hand to his abdomen. "My master's food arrived cold. He kicked my stomach to make me throw up." For Seth it was very hard to lie. He couldn't understand how a person wouldn't say the truth. In this occasion he didn't have any choice. It was either lie or be separated from Jake.

"And what happened to your face? Speak." Asked Christopher while holding Seth's chin with his thumb and index finger and moving it from side to side. "Damn it brothers are we sure we want to take this thing? He is a pathetic piece of shit and ugly as hell." The boisterous laughter of the four wolves filled the room. Billy and Edward found nothing funny about his comment, if there was a pathetic loser in the room it would be any of the four wolves that were currently laughing. They were not only idiots but blind too since there was nothing ugly about the submissive.

"I thought this was a serious inquiry, not a beauty pageant." Intervened Billy, his voice was soft and melodic. He really knew how to work his poker face. His comment made the laughter die down and the attention to be on the slave once more.

"I think I told you to speak, slave." Huffed Christopher in annoyance.

"My master was displeased with me because my services had not been up to his standards. He has not been satisfied in bed." The mere mention of bedroom activities had the assholes of the council almost reaching inside their pants to stroke themselves. They didn't even try to hide the fact they were horny sons of bitches without an ounce of moral fiber in their bodies. Billy knew very well that if they took the slave the poor man would be abused by all of them until they reached their destination.

"And these weird ones on your hips? Speak" Cai struggled to speak. The scent of the slave combined with his nakedness were creating a big party on his loins. Being the youngest he had the least amount of control and that made it harder for him to be around slaves.

"When my master is taking me he holds me tight. His movements are very intense and if he doesn't hold me I topple forward." Billy cringed with every answer the slave gave. The ones that dealt with sex were the hardest to guzzle down. The worst thing was that the Aleph was well aware that the slave was speaking from experience, a truth he endured many times.

"Let me see if I understand, does your master punishes you when he determines your services are anything but perfect? Does he use you to satisfy his sexual urges?" Asked Edi.

Since Seth hadn't been given permission to speak the slave nodded as his only answer. "Do you or do you not receive special treatment because your master harbors unnatural feelings towards you? Speak."

"No sir I do not." This was the absolute truth; there was nothing unnatural about these feelings. They were beautiful and as perfect as real love can be.

"He does look healthy but not pudgy like he was described. He is very well-trained and his master is doing a great job chiseling him so he will earn his keep. Brothers, I honestly don't see any fault here." Edi's statement had the other three wolves seeing red. Was he with them or against them?

"Don't jump to conclusions; we need to concur in our decision." Spat Aron. He knew that Edi always was the voice of reason among them. But he wanted this slave, even if only to wipe the fuckin' smirk off the Aleph's face.

"Enough is enough!" Suddenly, all the eyes in the room turned to the Aleph. "I paid a ridiculously high price for this slave, he is my property. No law has been broken so the slave will remain here." William Black folded his arms across his chest, his gaze so intense it was burning holes in each member of the council. This was not a game; they were playing with the life of a man and he couldn't allow it. He had enabled his son to help in the extermination of the submissives for too long, but that was in the past. There was no denying that he could be very intimidating. He had to give it to the dogs before him; they had guts or were insane. He sided with the latter since it was the only logical explanation as to how they were able to stand their ground.

"William, you don't decide, we do." Barked Aron.

"I disagree. My house, my slave, my decision." Billy spoke with the firmness of one who has the truth with him.

"Are we to believe you are challenging us?" The four councilmembers formed a letter U before the slave as Edi and Christopher moved from behind him. Edward stood behind Seth and gently placing his hands on the slave's hips pulled him closer to the door. If a fight broke out the slave wouldn't be able to phase and with five pissed off wolves in the room he would be as good as dead.

"No I'm not; it wouldn't be fair to you. It would be a dishonor to fight wolves that are not my equal. You would be slaughtered and more than one would celebrate it. Of course, none of us wants it to come to that, do we?" Billy's honeyed tone didn't fool anyone.

It was so remarkable how each man had his own take on Billy's attitude. Aron saw it as a personal affront. Christopher saw it as a menace to everything they stood for. Cai felt it was another arrogant move from the Aleph. Edi was just tickled pink and waiting to see how the other three would dig themselves out of this predicament. Their arguments had never been contested by any other landowner. Even if there was some initial resistance they eventually just handed over their slave and went on to get a new one. What they all agreed on was that there had to be something special about this particular dog. The Aleph was putting himself in the position of challenging the council; he was defiant and insolent. Maybe there was more truth to the allegations than anyone thought. To their displeasure they had no proof and without it there was no way in hell Billy would hand over his property.

"William, may I remind you that you and your whole household are under the council's jurisdiction? If we give the word you will be stripped of your possessions and you and all your followers will be thrown in jail for the rest of your days." Aron arrogantly retorted.

"And may I remind you that I control all the packs on this side of the United States, if I give the word there would be nothing left of you and your followers to fill a sausage. Also I will like to contest your logic, without the army who would stop the west from invading this side? They are not under anyone's rule. All I ask for is to be given enough life to see you get fucked in the ass more times than the slave has." The Aleph was livid; he didn't take kindly to threats. It would be a cold day in hell when he allowed a group of good for nothing bastards to come into his home and throw idle threats at him or his people.

Aron stuck his nose in the air trying to come up with a counterargument, but he couldn't. There was nothing he could say that wouldn't make them look like even bigger fools. Their own words were betraying them. "I see there is no possibility of an agreement here. You played your cards, William Black, now we know where we stand when it comes to you. Pray that you never need a favor from the council because this well is dry when it comes to you."

"Don't worry for me; your time is too important to waste it on this old wolf."

"Let's go brothers, if we leave now we'll be out of his land before sundown."

The four members of the council marched towards the door but they were stopped by Billy's voice. "You're not staying for dinner? We can put this unfortunate situation behind us and share a meal." The Aleph hoped they would say no but in a sick twisted way was looking forward to watching them melt under pressure even more than they already had.

"Don't be ridiculous Black." Scoffed Aron. "We wouldn't eat here if this place had the last morsel of food in the planet. We would die from hunger before we lose our dignity." With a huff Aron opened the door with enough strength to rip it off its hinges. As each wolf exited the room they looked at Edward dying to wipe the smile off his face. The cook stood protectively before the slave but sporting a toothy grin that was eating them alive. He was very close to waving goodbye but that would've been overkill.

"Ed, I'll see these gentlemen off my property, please take Seth back to the room."

The council left with their entourage on their heels. Billy instructed his soldiers to allow them to pass but to accompany them to the edge of his land. They needed to make sure the council didn't turn around to come back and take them by surprise. Billy stood on a hill observing the forms of his new enemies as they disappeared in the horizon. He had earned himself some very powerful enemies but it was worth it. He had no regrets, if his son's happiness depended on him serving as a shield for him or his submissive he would gladly give his life for them. It was a decision he knew his Sarah would approve. The Aleph lifted his wolf face to the heavens to pray to his beloved. _My love, difficult times approach us; help and guide us. Give me wisdom to make good decisions. Keep our son and his mate safe. Put in a good word for us with the man upstairs, we desperately need it. Bye darling, see you in my dreams…_


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello! Thank you so much for the messages inquiring about my health, I'm much better. As always thank you for all your support. My dear guest reviewers I wish I could reply to your reviews but please know that I love them. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters or the plot of Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Chapter 29**

"Are they gone?" Asked Edward the second Billy walked in Jacob's room. He had been keeping Seth company while the Aleph made sure the council was a good distance from his lands. The slave had been quiet, lost in his thoughts as he looked out the window fearing their return.

"Yes, for now. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of that group. It doesn't matter anyway; we'll be ready for them. We won't go down without a fight." Billy stood next to Edward who was sitting on Jacob's usual spot at the table. The cook was giving Seth his space, knowing that the poor man had been through hell once more. He pondered as to the resilience of the human mind, how long would he keep his sanity. What would it take to make the slave break, to give up on the impossible and ridiculous idea of hope?

"What's wrong with him?" Asked Billy with concern evident on his expression and tone of voice.

"Your guess is as good as mine. He has been like than since we came in the room."

"Seth, son they're gone. You can relax, we're here for you." Billy gently pulled the slave away from the window and guided him to the bed. They sat next to each other, the Aleph trying to read the submissive's expression but failing miserably, the slave nervously and with shaky hands twisting a loose thread from his shirt between his thumb and forefinger.

Billy placed one arm over the slave's shoulders, squeezing the shoulder his hand rested on. He felt the submissive tense for a minute before relaxing. "You have nothing to worry about. I instructed the wolves doing patrol not to let them through without my authorization. They will pass the voice to the next shift and so on. For any of those cowards to get near you they will have to fling to and fro many wolves and trust me, they won't even try. Aron is all bark and no bite, and his minions are equally inept."

The submissive still stayed quiet, the twisting of a pesky piece of thread the only evidence that he was awake. What neither dominant could see was that his mind was a hopeless disarray of ideas, fears and worries. "Sir I'm not worried for me, but for you and for my master. Don't take me wrong, I'm very grateful that you protected me, but you shouldn't have put yourself in that position. I'm not worth it."

"Oh Seth that's where you are mistaken, you are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for. I'm a soldier and a darn good one even if I say so myself. I never do anything without a plan. The strategy is simple; they know I'm not running with my tail between my legs, they cannot intimidate me. They are bullies, people like them take advantage of every situation and make it work for their benefit regardless of who they hurt. But they have another thing coming if they think they're going to come into my house and take any member of my family away. And you my dear boy… you are part of my family."

The slave was touched and moved to tears by the Aleph's words. In only few weeks the man beside him had shown him what a real father was. He never thought any dominant would move a finger to take care of him and here was no other than the Aleph himself sitting beside him, calling him family and helping him see what real love felt like.

Seth slipped to the floor kneeling before his father in law. The interminable waterfall originating in his eyes spoke of the emotion in his heart. Even through his tears he still smiled, he was grateful that somebody cared enough for him. Somebody who had no reason to do anything that would benefit him but did it anyway. Billy ran the pad of his fingers over the sub's bald head as he quietly cried with is head on his lap. "Sir I don't want them to take away your home and everything you've worked so hard for." Seth's voice was thick with tears as he lifted his head to speak to Billy.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Seth shook his head in negation. "Then get off this floor, sit next to me and tell me what's in your mind."

"Even if they are cowards they are powerful and have many loyal followers. If they hurt any of you because of me I wouldn't be able to live with myself. They could take away your home or even kill you. I'm a stray dog, I have no home and no family but you sir, have too much to lose." Seth's selfless but self-deprecating words annoyed Billy at the same time that filled him with awe. Life could get anyone down but it had been extra cruel with the slave. Still he cared more for others than for his own well-being.

Billy placed one strong russet hand on the nape of Seth's neck and gently guided him until his head rested on his shoulder. A pair of lanky arms rounded the Aleph's waist as the submissive risked a level of familiarity he had never tried before. "You would be surprised how many people want nothing but to see the council defeated and in prison. They have more opposing wolves than they have loyal ones. I'm in the process of meeting with several packs from Canada and Central America with the only purpose of creating a stronger front against the west and the council. These alliances will provide even more protection for you and Jake. So you see, it's not like we're untouchable but we are not defenseless either."

Seth offered his father in law a cute smile before lowering his head so it rested its previous position again. He wouldn't reveal his thoughts to the Aleph, after all, the only one who expressed an interest into what went on in his head was his master. The submissive sighed thinking of his Jake. How in many occasions he would say something that would make the slave furiously blush or cause his heart to skip a beat. The alpha had caused Seth and all the submissives before him an enormous amount of pain. But the tide had turned and he transformed into the one who would ease his pain. Jacob's love was erasing the bad memories, he was making things right.

"And my dear pup," The submissive's head shot up at the sound of the endearing nickname his master had given him. "Haha don't be so surprised, I think that nickname is the sweetest thing I've ever heard. I'm surprised it came out of my son's head to be totally honest."

"What was I saying? Ah right, look around you. Years ago somebody owned this house, that person took pride in what he or she had been able to achieve. Maybe made many sacrifices or none at all, we'll never know. Unfortunately at the end, they left this earth as naked as they came into existence. You may be asking yourself where I'm going with this. The truth of the matter is that none of this belongs to me. I just walked into this house, saw it was big enough for my wolves and moved in. If the council or anyone else took any of this away I would be upset, angry even, but it wouldn't cripple me. On the other hand when my Sarah was killed I was devastated and wanted death to claim me but I had to live for my son. I believed Jake's soul died the same day his mother was taken from us. But his spirit was not dead; it was hiding behind the despair and the resentment. No one had been able to jump start his heart and get him to feel again. Nobody until you came along. Never think lowly of yourself, son. I will forever be indebted to you for showing my son the way back. Through the evildoings of some men my son was lost, but through the immense love of one man he was found."

"Thank you sir." Seth spoke through tears of joy. He could easily see that the Aleph didn't become who he was by pure coincidence. He was as wise as the day was long and the slave was happy he considered him worthy. The submissive nuzzled his face onto father in law's shoulder making him react by hugging him tight.

At that exact moment the bedroom's door flew open and Jacob walked briskly in the direction of the group. The submissive unlatched himself from Billy's side and ran to meet his wolf half way. "You're here, you're here, you're safe. Puppy I thought I lost you." Jacob's voice trembled with a mixture of panic and relief.

Jacob slid his arms around the sub's waist to help him jump so he could pick him up. The slave's wrapped his legs around Jake's waist as his arms held to the back of his neck. The master walked both of them to his bed before sitting down with the submissive on his lap. Both Edward and Billy felt uncomfortable in the presence of the reunited lovers. They couldn't leave though, they knew Jake would have more than one question and they would do everything in their power to prevent him from digging where he shouldn't.

"Jake, I was so afraid I wouldn't see you again!" Seth's voice was shaky as his body convulsed with emotion. He had to stop talking when his mind became overwhelmed with what overflowed from his heart.

"My puppy, that will never happen. Mark my words, nobody will be able to take you away from me." Jacob didn't try to hide his tears as he wept openly.

His father couldn't remember when was the last time he saw him cry. After Sarah left them, Jake turned into the tin man. No heart, no feelings and no emotion. This was the last piece of the puzzle, his son was definitely back. The Aleph felt his heart swell and his own tears were brimming and threatening to fall like from a glass of water that's too full. Edward was deeply moved by the scene before him. He never knew this side of Jacob, the loving sensitive side had disappeared by the time he met him. Instead all he could see was a bitter man that hated life and everything associated with it.

Seth had been successfully hiding his face from his master. He was enjoying being in the arms he thought he would never feel again. He was certain that the instant Jacob saw the condition of his face and body he would be enraged and would demand answers he was not willing to give. Paul had given them a gift; he gave them more time to be together. The slave prayed that they would always be together but fate had a way of laughing in his face and when he least expected he would feel the sting of real life.

"I missed you pup." Jake's voice carried unmistakable tenderness and immense love.

"What have I told you about denying me your eyes? I missed the way you look at me, your voice, the softness and warmth of your skin." Not caring that they had an audience Jake kissed the submissive's neck trailing up to nibble on his ear. Billy could almost feel the heat emanating from their bodies. He wanted to escape but didn't want to move and interrupt the moment his son and his beloved were sharing. Instead he tried looking any way but in their direction. Edward's smirk made his friend want to smack him where he sat, but he couldn't help being amused watching his friend squirm uncomfortable in his seat.

Seth couldn't enjoy any of it as he felt his heart beat faster and the breath get stuck in his throat. This was it; his master would most probably go on a rampage. Seth didn't know how he would react to being denied the information. It was anybody's guess but he would have his answer soon enough.

The submissive moved his face slowly until he faced his master. Jacob's face contorted in a silent cry of agony and fury. "What the fuck happened to you?! Seth, tell me who beat you, was it the council? Dad, how could you let this happen? And you Ed, what kind or protector are you?" Neither Billy nor Edward were too bothered by Jake's harsh words. They didn't judge him since they would react the same way. Jacob's brain produced questions faster than anyone could provide answers. He first suspected it had been the council and he wanted nothing more than to wring the miserable necks of those entitled, irritating, good for nothing buffoons. He rationalized it was unlikely since it was not their style to damage the merchandise in such a way. Still he had his doubts.

"Jake I can't tell you." Stated Seth in an almost imperceptible voice.

"Why not? Is he threatening you?" The slave shook his head in negation. "Then why won't you say anything? Why are you protecting him? You only kept something from me once; I thought you would never do it again."

The slave felt like someone stabbed him, never in a thousand years he wanted to hurt the man he so desperately loved. Seth removed himself from his master's lap. He didn't do it out of fear, he just didn't feel worthy of being so close to someone he just got upset. Jacob didn't try to stop him; he was too confused and angry. He hated being kept in the dark, it made him feel like a fool. In the past whether it was by coaxing or by ordering him he would've gotten the information from the slave.

The master followed Seth's movements as he walked to the window. The light of the setting sun shone on his face surrounding it with light. Jacob was enthralled with the beauty of his submissive and felt his anger toward the slave melt slowly. The others weren't so lucky; he blamed everyone for Seth's condition. Billy extended his arm to touch Jake's arm lightly and get his attention. "Son, I can almost see the cogs moving inside your head. He won't tell either of us what happened. But please think about this, whoever hit him did us a big favor. The councilmembers came here with their minds made up; the meeting was just a formality. They were going to try to take Seth. I say try because there is no way in hell I was going to let that happen."

"I know that and I'm sorry if I sound impertinent. I'm just so mad, it's not fair. Seth is an angel and these people just want to keep him in hell. Dad this has to stop, please there has to be something you can do." Jacob's voice cracked as he begged his father to help the submissives, especially the one who held his heart.

"I've tried in the past but nobody took me seriously. They knew we owned slaves and your reputation worked against us. Any time I approached someone to ask for support they said no. They all thought I was helping the council and feared retribution."

"Dad we'll work together in this. I'll do everything in my power to help them, even Embry, even though I kind of hate his guts." Stated Jacob with sad humor in his voice. At the mere mention of Sam's submissive Edward perked up in his seat. Jacob smiled knowingly, the cook could deny it but the master could see himself in Ed. He knew the mark of one whose heart had been touched by a submissive. It changed them for the best; it made them a better person.

Jacob stood up and joined his submissive by the window. He rounded the slave's petite body with his strong arms before guiding him so the sub was facing him. The master inspected his lover's face, kissing each bruise and running the pad of his fingers over his cracked lips. "Baby I'll take care of you. This will not happen again. That council is nothing but putrid shells of what at one point was a man. Their existence is a dishonor to our ancestors."

"Jake those men are like vultures; they asked me to strip and examined my body like I was a strange bug. When they looked at me I felt the blood go cold inside my veins. I've been exposed to the lustful stares of many wolves but I've never felt so naked as I did today." Jacob's whole body tensed as his jaw clenched and a deep drawled growl resonated in his ample chest There were only a handful of men he hated more than the council and prayed to be given the opportunity to avenge Seth and all the submissives that had suffered because of their decrees.

"Jake, I was lucky; no, I was blessed; Edward and your dad were my guardian angels. Even though the circumstances were far from ideal I felt safe because they were there." Seth would forever be indebted to Billy and Ed. They put everything on the line to protect one that was considered less than an animal.

The master placed his arms around Seth's neck and bowed his heads until their foreheads were pressed against each other. "Oh God, puppy I'm so sorry I was not here to stop them." A single tear escaped from Jacob's eye sliding slowly down his cheek until it was wiped away by the slave.

"Don't be sad please. Everything is fine. When I was told the council was coming my first thought went to you. I never want to leave your side; unless I'm ordered to go or I die, I'll be here." Seth ran his fingers through his master's inky locks. He loved how the hair felt as it slid through his fingers. He never thought he would love everything about his master, but he did. They got lost in each other's eyes, their embrace felt heavenly. In that uncertain world there was something they could count on, that their love would show them the beauty the universe had to offer. If they had no tomorrow they wanted their last memory to be the depth of the feelings they shared, the warmth of each other's skin as it grazed the sensitive flesh of their lover and the joy that comes from loving and being loved.

Billy and Edward were long forgotten by the couple. Nothing existed aside from the man in front of them. Unfortunately as it always happened, their idyll was interrupted. There was a firm knock on the door that put everyone on alert. "Jake, they told me you came back. I need to talk to you." It was Paul's voice on the other side of the door.

The group exchanged confused looks. The dominants in the room asked themselves why Paul would be knocking on his alpha's door at a time when he was usually home with his family. The only one that suspected what he was there for and looked like he wanted to run away was Seth, but luckily nobody noticed. Jacob stood protectively before the slave who easily hid behind his master's massive form. "Come in Paul."

Jacob felt as Seth slid to the floor to assume his submissive stance. The master hated it; it was humiliating for his pup. "What do you want Paul? We're busy here."

Paul stood several feet away from his alpha. He shifted his weight from the left leg to the right and back to the left while rubbing the back of his neck. He buried his hands in his pockets and inhaled deeply before speaking. "Um I guess you already know. To my defense it was the first thing I could think of."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Paul's eyes widened as he realized his alpha ignored everything that had transpired between him and the slave. This didn't go unnoticed by the other dominants who looked first at each other and then at the slave in search of answers. But they didn't need to look much further, the truth was screaming in their faces.

Paul knew at that point that denying everything would be useless and futile. He should've trusted the slave but that was very unlike him. His daughter had mentioned many times how good the slave was. He should've listened to her, she was not being deceived, she saw exactly what the slave was made of. "I heard the council coming and I knew you were not here. I had to think fast, there was no time. All I could come up with was making him look like a slave."

Jacob's eyes widened as understanding dawned. His body tensed, his mouth grew into a tense thin line and his movements were temporarily stalled. His best friend, his beta, dared to put his repulsive hands on the sacred skin of his lover. At first he was appalled but inside him the rage was reaching its boiling point. As the rage was unleashed he felt his wolf come to the surface but he pushed it back in. He couldn't completely lose control, his thoughts were with his little submissive and how he could be hurt if he phased and he was in the way.

Jacob took several long strides in Paul's direction, his feet stomping the tile like a jackhammer and cracking a few on its wake. In situations like this things usually seem to be moving in slow motion but it was just a matter of seconds before Jacob's fist collided with his beta's jaw with all the force he could muster. Paul spun to his right side spewing blood that ended up on the wall beside them. This movement left his side open for Jake's fist to get reacquainted with the beta's ribs, shoving the air out of his lungs. The beta turned to face his friend and assumed a defensive stance that was meant to protect him from the attacks; he didn't want to fight his friend. The force of the next blow caused him to stumble back almost knocking him to the floor and for tears to rush into his eyes.

"You dared to hit my slave, this is not the first time, but I'll make sure it's the last!" Jacob was out for blood. He didn't see reason; the anger numbed all his senses and only left the desperate need to kill. Terror invaded all the wolves present; they were going to witness something they never thought they would, an alpha killing his beta.

"Jake don't be such an ass! If he faced the council with rosy cheeks and perfect skin they would've taken him away. C'mon man I have a family!" Paul pleaded for his life; he couldn't believe his time on this earth would end this way. He was not pleading for himself; his thoughts were with his wife and their daughter. His first option was not to die of course, but if there was no other option he always pictured his death as an honorable act in battle. Future generations would write songs about him, telling the story of his loyalty and bravery. But not even in his wildest dreams he thought it could end at the hands of his best friend.

"I don't fucking care! You messed with _my_ family. Never again!" Jacob's face was impossibly close to Paul's, droplets of spit ending up on the beta's face and hair. His lack of control was uncovering a secret they had zealously kept. They never planned on bringing Paul into the mix; he could be their greatest ally or their biggest enemy. Unfortunately for the beta, if Jacob got his way they would never find out.

"Jacob" The Aleph's voice carried such an authority in its softness that made the rabid wolf stop cold, if only for a moment.

"Son listen to reason please, this is wrong and you know it. Whatever is telling you to end his life block it don't listen to it, that's bad counsel." Billy tried to help Paul even though he knew all too well that when his son was in a rampage, there was nothing that could stop him. He was like the juggernaut, once he built up momentum it was game over for his unfortunate victim. That was a great skill to have in the battlefield but not in real life. He couldn't even give him an alpha order, in Jake's state of mind his wolf fed the rage inside him and made him capable of disobeying his father.

"Dad don't interfere, this is between this son of a bitch and me."

Jacob pushed Paul until his back was pressed against the cold wall. His beta had a shattered mandible, a black eye and probably a few cracked ribs. Blood seeped from his lip, heavy droplets hitting the floor with an inaudible sound. Paul debated whether or not to fight his alpha. But he had seen his friend in battle; he recognized he didn't stand a chance in his current wounded condition. He had reached the end of his journey. This was not how he planned it but he had to accept it. As Jacob raised his powerful right fist to land the lethal blow he felt a warm hand touch his bicep. It was barely a tap that would've gone undetected by anyone. The softness of the touch could only be compared to the power behind it. The alpha stopped on his tracks as he turned his head to look at the small figure beside him. A man that until a few months ago he considered to be insignificant and barely a step up from a cockroach made the biggest and baddest warrior of the east pack stop in his tracks.

"Master, he meant no harm. I know he didn't do it out of spite. He might hate me but he is an honorable man. He loves his family, his pack and his alpha. He helped me and he did it for you. Please master stop I beg you." Seth's voice was a balsam to the alpha's tortured soul. His eyes were filled with apprehension but his words were strong. He kept his master anchored to this earth and prevented him from falling off the precipice. The dominants in the room were dumbfounded as they watched the scene unfolding before them in disbelief. They were mesmerized observing the silent conversation between the alpha and his pup. It was like their spirit was doing the talking. Billy knew that Seth had great power over his son but never knew the extent of it.

Jacob loosened his grip of steel and his beta breathed, relieved for the first time since he landed the first blow on the submissive. Seth motioned to move back to his place by his chain but Jake stopped him grabbing his hand and interlacing their fingers. The slave heart began to race as he caught sight of their joined hands. It had been a comedy of indiscretions, first Jacob losing his cool, then the slave touching his master and speaking without authorization. To seal the whole mess the master stopped pretending and did something no master would ever do. Be affectionate to his slave. Even though they had just witnessed a miracle everybody in the room still feared this would end up badly.

"Paul, now you two are even. You saved his life and he saved yours. Before you go I must warn you that if anybody catches wind of what you just witnessed you will pay with your life. No little girl, wife or even an angel will come to your rescue." The beta nodded in understanding and slowly walked to the door, the pain from his broken ribs making it an almost impossible feat.

Billy's voice made Paul stop his painful pilgrimage and turn slowly until he faced them. "Son, you should stop by the dispensary before heading home. Your ribs probably need to be wrapped." The beta nodded as his answer.

Since the moment Paul came in the room to confess his sin Edward had a question dancing around in his head and he needed an answer. "Paul, for how long have you known?" The wolves in the room asked themselves what was Edward talking about, the only one that seemed to understand was the man to whom the question had been directed.

"Since the very beginning; Jake is really good at guarding his thoughts but he failed to remember something important. I'm his beta, what to others is complete silence, to me are ghostly whispers. It's a fail-safe mechanism in case an alpha's thoughts could endanger his pack or the people he is supposed to protect. It's also very useful at unmasking traitors." Paul's explanation left every single wolf in the room thunderstruck, even the Aleph, who couldn't believe he had forgotten that detail. It was both shocking and scary to realize that they had been playing with fire. They thought their secret was being so well kept when in reality every time the alpha thought of his mate while in wolf form his beta saw it.

Jacob was especially stupefied by what he learned. He had been so careless, Paul could've easily gone to the council and Seth would be nothing more than a pile of ash and a memory. His ignorance could've cost the submissive his life. The alpha sat on the bed pulling Seth to his lap. He needed to feel him close, to feel the warmth of his skin. He needed confirmation that his idiocy didn't have consequences.

"Paul does anyone else know?" Asked Billy.

"Nah some guys gossip like old ladies, I tried to dismiss their suspicions saying that if there was something fishy going on I would know. Now if you don't mind I need to get to Carlisle. You can really pack a punch." Paul mindlessly rubbed his side while he waddled toward the door.

Jake left Seth on the bed and caught up with Paul before he could reach the door. "I knew you were a good husband and father. An exemplary friend and wolf but what you've done for Seth and for me left me speechless. I guess that I want to say is I'm sorry and thank you." Jake extended his hand to his beta who shook it weakly before opening the door.

"Paul wait up let me help you; I don't think you'll make it to Carlisle's office on your own." Edward placed Paul's arm across his shoulders to give him some much needed support. He had to be very careful when placing his hand on the injured wolf's waist as to not aggravate his injuries. Billy opened the door and the group exited the room after a quick good bye.

"Puppy you should rest, you had one hell of a day. I'll go to the kitchen to fetch us something to eat. I'll wake you up when I get back."

"Master…" Jacob arched a perfect eyebrow making the submissive correct himself. "Jake, I'll go get our food; you look like you're about to keel over."

"Don't worry about me puppy, when I get back we'll eat and go to bed. I'm so tired, I don't remember when the last time I ran so much and so fast was. Puppy, when they told me the council was here I felt my spirit leave my body and leave in its place something that could only be described as nothingness. I trusted my dad and Ed but it's my job to keep you safe. I was so scared love, so…" Jake's words were drowned by a deep sob that originated in the center of his being. He knew the complications he should expect for loving a submissive but never knew how much his puppy meant to him until he almost lost him.

"Please baby don't cry, look we're together and sooner than we thought. If those men did something good it was bringing you back to me quicker." Seth knelt on the bed and cradled the alpha's head against his chest. The soft and steady thumping of his heart soothing the master.

"I'm so sorry for the way things played out, how Paul saw no other option but to beat you to a pulp." Jake placed his lips ever so softly over the bruise that encased Seth's left eye and kissed it, willing the black and blue to go away. "I know that it was a necessary evil but I wish things were different. Sometimes I observe you while you sleep and fantasize that this was a different time, that we were free to love each other. I would give you everything you deserve. A big house, cars, money, you would never want for anything."

"Jake if this was a different time or even a different earth I would still only want one thing… you." Seth's words as few as they usually were always managed to bring the alpha to his knees.

"I don't deserve you angel. You're so strong and a tougher man than I'll ever be. You're beautiful inside and out. I'm a lucky bastard that's for sure."

"My Jake I'm not beautiful, especially now with all these bruises. I'm but a flea on your fur." The master loved everything about his little submissive but wished that the self-deprecating comments would stop. He tried to be understanding but Seth was seriously pissing him off.

"You are beautiful and it's time you see it. How can you say you're a flea? Damn it pup, that has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard." To Jake there was nothing more beautiful and loveable than Seth and it infuriated him that someone so perfect couldn't see just how much he was worth.

Noticing the submissive's furrowed eyebrows he realized his comment had been out of place and decided it was better to lighten the mood. "Anyway I don't have fleas; Carlisle puts some special drops between my shoulder blades to prevent them."

Seth opened his eyes comically before asking. "Really?"

Jake had to burst out laughing at his slave's innocent question. "No, hahaha! Puppy, for one so old you're so innocent, this is why I…" Jake stopped himself before he would utter the remaining two words. It was not that he was ashamed of his feelings for the submissive, far from it. Truth of the matter was that he had never declared his love to anyone before and he froze.

"Er, anyway let's get you out of these clothes so you can rest." Jake grabbed the bottom hem of his slave's shirt and pulled it over his head before pushing his pants down and offering his hand for balance while the sub stepped out of them. Until that moment he had only seen the bruises on Seth's face but when he caught sight of the slave's abdomen and hips he felt like somebody squeezed the blood out of his heart.

Without saying anything Jake stood up and guided Seth so he was lying down with his back to the bed. "I'm going to kiss them to make it all better." He whispered to the submissive before worshiping his body. His actions were not sexual in any way; he wanted to show the submissive how much he meant to him. Seth felt self-conscious about his cuts and bruises. He felt ugly and couldn't understand how his master could call him beautiful or how he would voluntarily put his lips on him.

"Baby if I'd known the council was coming I would've killed all of them before they got here." Seth was shocked that his master would literally kill for him. It was baffling as to why he would risk so much for one such as himself.

"You would kill for me?" Seth's question remained unanswered while his master gathered his thoughts. He would not only kill a few lowly wolves, he would kill a whole fucking army. The slave was heartbroken for his master's lack of response but that didn't change his feelings for the alpha.

"It's ok you don't have to answer." Stated the submissive sadly.

"Damn it pup, give a man a chance. Of course I would kill, not just the council, getting rid of those bastards would be the biggest favor I would have ever done humanity, I would dispose of entire armies."

Seth timidly gazed up at his master. "How can you be willing to sacrifice countless lives for me? I'm so insignificant." The slave's voice was so low the master had to strain to hear his question. The submissive was not trying to make the alpha pity him, he just couldn't understand. Since he could remember he had been told he was nothing and only had one purpose in life, to serve the dominants. This had taken a toll on his self-esteem. Of one thing he was sure, he knew without a doubt his small hands would be put to good use if his lover was ever in harm's way. His body would be his shield and if he died for the man he couldn't live without there would be no more dignified death.

"I would do anything to keep you safe from harm. I don't want you to ever feel one ounce of pain." Stated Jacob.

"Jake, pain is part of life; it's as unavoidable as death itself." Once again the master was in awe at his submissive's wisdom. His eternally youthful appearance in sharp contrast with the old wisdom with which he spoke.

He admired Seth but that didn't mean he was happy with what he said. The alpha let out an irritated huff of breath. "Not your pain, if I have any say in the matter you will never be hurt again." Jacob's brows furrowed and as much as he adored his little submissive he was annoyed with him. Just like Seth couldn't understand the entirety of his master's feelings for him, Jacob couldn't understand how his puppy didn't know, or couldn't at least feel the devotion radiating off him. His emotions were palpable and the wolf almost swore he could see specks of them in the air. He always believed his lover to be smart, so why now, of all the times Seth could choose, did he pick to be so thick-headed?

"Jake I know you care for me but I don't want you to ever put yourself on harm's way for me. You're destined to be the next Aleph after your father steps down. One day you'll meet a beautiful woman and you will father the next alpha. As long as you're happy I'll be happy for you."

Jacob's temper rose and he found himself exasperated. "Don't you get it, Seth?!" He shouted, beyond appalled by his tone of voice and how his submissive flinched in fright.

"Get what, master?" There it was, that dreaded word seeping from such precious lips that knew no better. Lips that were never meant to say the word master, they were meant to whisper words of love, of secret desires shared by two lovers.

Jacob's hands rose and he waved them in the air like a mad man, because as it stood, he was. "That I fucking love you!" He earnestly exclaimed, tears brewing, and palms sweaty. The alpha felt just as shocked by his words as Seth looked, but he didn't for a second regret them. Bliss had substituted air in Seth's lungs. For an instant the world stood still. All the hurt and the fear melted away, the sad memories were erased leaving in their place one so powerful that it replaced all the others. Seth's eyes were filled with love that he couldn't express, but as he looked into the soulful eyes of the man he loved he understood that Jake knew it, more importantly, he felt it. Hot tears streamed down their faces as they became each other's reason for living. To many those three words strung together were a cliché but to them they were an affirmation that there was still hope in that twisted world of theirs.

"I love you, puppy." He repeated, though quietly this time, softly, tenderly, the voice of one who had been overmastered by a four letter word.


	30. Chapter 30

**I hope you enjoy this installment of MOMS. Your feedback is essential and the fuel that keeps my motor going. Please show a girl some love and review. **

**I apologize for not replying to your reviews for the last chapter. That is in no way a reflection of how I feel. You have no idea how grateful I am, it's just a matter of finding the time to do it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. If I did… oh my.**

**Chapter 30**

All ideas of having dinner were forgotten after Jacob's love declaration. Seth's heart was making an unsuccessful attempt to beat normally. In fact the slave doubted he would ever be the same after getting confirmation that he was indeed loved. In all his years nobody except Leah had told him they loved him. Maybe his mother did when he was a newborn but after she allowed her husband to poison her spirit she did something unforgivable by forsaking her son.

After walking this earth for thirty years he was loved once more. Seth never thought he would enjoy such a luxury and there he was, with no other than the most sought after dominant. Jake was as cruel as he was handsome, luckily his evil ways had been left in the past. The man that only minutes before declared his love in the most unconventional but perfect way possible had given the slave hope for a future.

That night master and slave made love slowly, meaningfully and tenderly. The exquisite sensations they were able to elicit in their partner filling the room with their heady scent. They would obtain their release only to stay in their embrace until their bodies responded again. At one point they moved to the shower and Jake soaped his tired lover kneading his muscles as he stood with his forehead against the cold tile. "Jake we've never had sex in the shower." Stated Seth in the most seductive voice he could manage.

"Baby we'll never have sex again." Seth's eyebrows pinched together as he studied his master's gorgeous features. "The rapture of sex will only find us when we make love." Jacob's lips turned upwards as he saw his boyfriend relax and his heart stop its crazy racing.

"But puppy, you're right; we've never made love in the shower. I would love to, if you're not sore. This will be the third time and I really don't want you to be hurting." Seth didn't answer, instead he sank to his knees and took his master's member between his lips and surrounded with the moist cavern of his mouth. Jacob was doing cartwheels in his mind, from the instant his pup mentioned having sex he felt his body react. The master leaned against the wall as his submissive's lips worked their magic. The slave needed to feel his master's body against him, to be filled by his lover as they became one.

When the slave abruptly stopped his ministrations Jacob opened his eyes to look at his pup in search for an answer. He didn't even realize he was pouting until the submissive pointed it out. "As stunning as that pout looks on you I can't have any of that mister; I want you to make love to me." Seth surprised himself by how vocal he was, demanding even. Instead of his daring attitude turning off or angering the dominant it had the opposite effect. Jake pulled him to his feet with a jolt and before the slave could react attacked his neck. The master knew how much the sub loved it when his neck got attention and he was more than happy to volunteer for the job. They enjoyed the feeling as their turgid members touched, each one of them pushing their hips forward in search of more friction. Taking the initiative Seth turned to face the wall, separated his legs and offered himself to his master. That was all the invitation the dominant needed. Seth didn't require any preparation since he was still loose from their last encounter. Jacob still possessed him slowly, giving him time to adjust and increasing both their pleasure. The slave's body felt as a warm velvet glove as he engulfed his master's member. They found a good rhythm of action and reaction that took them on a turbulent ride until they reached the cusp of their shared passion.

Seth's orgasm was so intense that his knees buckled and his master had to hold him up so he wouldn't crumble to the floor. They could make love a thousand times and it would still feel like the first time. Everything they experienced in their little piece of paradise. It seemed to have happened ages when only a few months had passed. The lovers stepped out of the shower and stood on the soft mat where the master proceeded to dry them off before strutting back to the bedroom with his boyfriend in his arms. Both men were satisfied, sated and in love. Jacob held his sub in his strong arms while running the pads of his fingers on his back. Soon enough the slave's even breathing let the alpha know that his angel was sound asleep. Jake prayed silently, asking that they would be granted the joy of making love like this for the rest of their lives. With that thought in his mind the master closed his eyes and fell asleep with a content smile on his face.

As the morning sun peeked through the white fluffy clouds the world around the two lovers became brighter and full of activity. Used to waking up before his master Seth moved out of the bed slowly only stopping for a moment when his master stirred in his sleep. The slave still adhered to the initial orders he received upon his arrival at the manor. His head and body remained hair free even though he was certain that if he asked, his master he would lift that order. He took pride on the fact that his master had never found him inadequate. The slave lived to please his master even if it was with something as simple as his appearance.

When the submissive came back in the room he found his master setting up their breakfast. Seth saw the twinkle in his master's eyes when his eyes landed on him, he felt self-conscious and insecure but blushed nonetheless. The slave gave him his best grin and ran to meet his lover, flinging himself to his master's awaiting arms. "Good morning, puppy; slept well?"

"Yes I did, for some reason that I can't explain I was very tired last night." The slave feigned innocence but he couldn't fool anyone. He had been outright demanding, lucky for him his master loved him too much to take advantage of his weakness.

"I'm sure you have no idea." Said Jake rolling his eyes and before nuzzling his face on the crook of the smaller man's neck. He had been noticing how Seth's libido seemed to be skyrocketing. He wasn't complaining but he did find it odd.

Jacob pulled the submissive to his lap and Seth sat on one of his legs so his master could eat comfortably. The master had been teaching the slave how to eat with utensils and even though he managed well enough the sub still preferred to eat with his hands. He was picking up small portions of food from his master's plate and shoveling them in his mouth before getting more. Jacob handed him a fork and insisted that he use it. Instead of bringing the food to his mouth Seth offered it to his master who accepted it. Jake then took the fork and fed the submissive. They were like two newlyweds sharing a piece of their wedding cake. Unfortunately neither one knew if or when they would be able to bring their relationship to the light. The alpha wanted all the wolves to respect his mate but only a miracle would grant them such a thing. He still didn't give up hope.

"Pup you're going to stay in the kitchen most of the day. I'll be in the field working and I asked Ed to keep an eye on you, don't leave his side. If by any chance you're alone and a wolf tries to force himself on you do anything you can to get away. Find my father; he will get everything under control." Jacob paused for a minute trying to get his feelings under control. "I fucking hate this so much!" He exclaimed banging one fist on the table angrily.

"I admit that until now I didn't care one way or the other but everything is different now. My eyes have been opened and as long as there is strength in my body you will never be abused again. Baby I love you so, so much…" Seth loved hearing his master profess his love and wished he could do the same. There were very few things he wanted more than to tell his master how he felt about him. It was a sick twisted world, one in which a person was not allowed to express their love.

"I know Jake and I…" The words almost escaped his lips when he was stopped by two fingers gently touching them.

"Shhhh no need to put you at risk… I know." He whispered in his sub's ear.

Jacob did a monumental effort and calmed himself enough to slightly detach himself from the situation. "Anyway you two have a shit ton of work to do to prepare for the visitors, several delegations of representatives of three packs my father is trying to create alliances with. Quil will also be checking on you. Baby you have friends and protectors now, you have nothing to fear, but still, be careful." Jake's heart ached as he watched Seth's brows furrow as he bit his lower lip. He had many reasons to be worried, the wolves that frequented the manor knew very well not to touch him but with the visitors it was a completely different ballgame. Jake surrounded the slave with his strong arms and kissed the top of his head. He wasn't successful on trying to comfort the sub but still had to try. Jake's expression was calm, even with the uncertainty that plagued them he felt the peace of one who had found true love. Many people go through life without learning the true power that love could give a person. He had found the other half of his soul and there was where his strength rested. He would use that strength to protect his pup, even if this would cost him his life.

"Jake, do you realize that you five are fulfilling your duty as protectors? Like our legends say, remember? They tell the story of the great wolf that inhabited the spirit of the first shapeshifter. How the tribe needed a protector against the evil spirits and the combined strength of man and beast defeated their enemies."

Jacob looked pensive. "I never saw it that way, to tell you the truth I never read our histories or the legends, I'm lazy like that. What I do know is that a more worthy person to be protected doesn't exist. You my love, you are special, there is something about you. It's like you're destined for something greater than any of us." The devotion in Jacob's voice put in evidence his commitment to the submissive.

"Jake I'm nothing special, you know that."

"That's where you're mistaken; to me you're the most important person in this whole fucked up world." Jacob leaned forward and reached for the submissive's lips, Seth met him halfway making their lips meet. Gentle sucking alternated with loving bites, tongues entwined and moving sensually against each other. The lovers were so emotionally connected that their feelings were on display for the other to see. Their spirits in perfect harmony as they kissed like there was no tomorrow. Jake slid his hand under the slave's old shirt; he needed to feel the soft skin of his mate. He pulled Seth closer, wrapping his arms around the sub's waist before leaving the luscious lips of his mate to roam around his neck, to inhale his scent and cover himself with the scent of his lover. The slave closed his eyes to savor the moment, hoping that it would last forever.

Jake had no choice but pull back leaving his pup panting, hot and bothered. "Damn it! I don't want to leave this room" Whispered Jacob as he rubbed his nose on the slave's temple.

"Me neither but duty calls. I don't want to get on your dad's bad side for being a bad influence." As he said this Seth gave his master his cutest smile.

"You will never get on my dad's bad side. He is very happy we're together, he told me himself." Jake stole a small kiss from his pup. It was not really stolen since it was given away voluntarily. "Anyway let's get going, the sooner I get to work the sooner I'll be back in your arms."

"I don't know whether to cuddle you or laugh and call you cheesy." The slave's giggling was music to the alpha's ears.

"You can call me anything you want as long as you accept me and let me love you."

"Always, _my master_." Jake would let his old title pass on this occasion, there was something inherently sexy about the way Seth said it.

"Anyway let's go before I carry you back to our bed and make love to you." Seth nuzzled his master's neck scraping lightly to obtain more of his favorite aroma, the scent of his master. Jake in return kissed the sub's shoulder and neck making him shiver.

The lovers kissed one more time before the door leading to the real world was opened. Outside of their room there were only master and slave. Their room became their oasis at the same time the world became their personal hell. Seth walked several steps behind his master carrying the tray with the breakfast dishes. Jacob would turn to search for his favorite puppy eyes but didn't find them. The piece of heaven that were the submissive's eyes were denied to the alpha for the sake of appearances. The slave needed to keep his gaze on the floor as to not enrage any unfriendly that could be observing them. Jacob could feel the fury coursing through his veins, his fists tightly clenched as he agonized over the unfairness of the whole situation.

What made the whole situation agonizingly painful was the fact that Jake never cared how unfair the world was when it came to the submissives. As a matter of fact he had killed more than one slave for the terrible infraction of raising his eyes. If Seth hadn't been so perfectly behaved when he landed on his clutches, he would've done the same to him. The memories of all the vile and cruel things he had done would torture his mind for all eternity, since he knew that after death, while he was being licked by the flames of hell itself he would see the faces of each and every man he tortured and killed. There was no redemption for one such as himself, one who took a sick pleasure on raping and killing innocent men. At the end those men would be avenged, karma would come for the alpha that never had an ounce of compassion for anyone, not even himself.

Walking behind him was a man that was more like an angel. The only hope, as small as it was, that the master would have a chance at happiness. He didn't deserve it, that much he knew, but his Seth insisted on making him happy. With every action the slave showed him what being good and decent really meant. Jake had a lot to learn and prayed that the Fates weren't tempted to cut his miserable life short. The alpha knew that the right thing to do would be to just send the submissive away with a good escort. Provide him with enough resources that he could bribe his way out of any situation. He could even guarantee safe transport to South America so he could look for his sister. Unfortunately for the slave Jacob was a selfish lover, not in the bed of course, but in every other aspect of their relationship. He couldn't fathom the idea of sending his puppy away. If he was a better person he would break up with him and they would go in different directions. Without Seth by his side all he could expect was a life of regret and bitterness. Without his pup he wouldn't need to die to be in hell.

Upon entering the kitchen Seth walked quietly to the sink and began soaking the dishes. As it always happened he could feel like his clothes were being peeled off his body by the lustful stares of the wolves having their breakfast. Two of Jake's wolves were there and he stopped to talk to them. Jared and Harry stroke a conversation with the alpha while palming the growing bulge inside their pants. Seth's scent was as enticing as ever, maybe even more, there was nothing he or anyone could do about it.

"Ed, as soon as he is done send him back to my room. He is getting fucking lazy and that room is a pigsty." Jacob couldn't bring himself to call the slave slut or whore like he used to do in the past.

"No problem Jake but it will be in the afternoon, I need extra help in here to get ready for tomorrow and he is the best baker I have." The master nodded back to Ed before making himself exit the kitchen without caressing his submissive with his eyes.

"Seth, hurry up with those dishes and start on the cornbread" Ed's voice sounded slightly harsher than usual. The slave could sense he was upset but of course ignored the reason. He wanted to ask the cook what was bothering him but needed to wait until they were by themselves.

The minute the last man left the kitchen Seth stood next to Edward. "What's wrong?"

Edward was about to tell him to mind his own business before he realized it was Seth. The slave was nothing but respectful to everyone around him, he didn't deserve to be the recipient of Ed's barely controlled anger. "It's Embry." Seth's eyebrows became furrowed immediately. "I went to see him yesterday; I had to wait until Sam left. I walked to the room and let myself in, only to find him chained again. I swear he looks thinner every time I see him. He was acting really weird, I thought he was embarrassed because he was naked but I've seen him naked before and he didn't mind. After a while I told him I was leaving since I was making him uncomfortable and he started crying. He told me he was disgusting. Sam had fucked him and left the room as soon as he was done. He hadn't even unlocked his chain and took him right there on the floor. To make matters worse during sex the pressure caused him to pee the floor and he sat on it to hide it when I came in."

"Poor Em." Seth was very sympathetic for his fellow submissive. They had many of the same experiences; they especially knew how it felt to be disgusted with the image in the mirror.

"I told him I didn't care and brought warm water and a towel to clean him up. He wouldn't let me help him though. I'm not stupid, I know what Sam does to him but felt ready to strangle him when I saw the cum on the floor. It's stupid but none of you should go through that hell, that is, unless you do it voluntarily." Ed stated with a smirk making the slave blush furiously.

"Ed you made sure to open the windows before you left, you don't want Sam catching your scent there."

"Yeah we're always very careful, I also asked the one servant I trust to bring him some food and unlock his chain. He would have to wait until after lunch but he would manage."

"I like that Embry has you, we all need someone in our corner. Man or wolf, master or slave, we're not meant to go through life all alone." Edward sensed that the slave wasn't only talking about his friend.

"Trust me I know and if I can get my way neither Embry nor myself will be alone." Seth didn't push the subject; he knew Edward had feelings for his friend but refused to put him on the spot.

The rest of the morning went fast with the kitchen being a hub of activity. Every time Edward went to the pantry to look for any ingredient one of the servants would pinch Seth's buttocks. That bothered the slave who saw it as a betrayal. He felt his master should be the only one to touch him, it was the least he could do for the man who loved him. Still he had no choice but stay away from said wolf, he couldn't fight back, doing so would be suicide. After lunch an out of breath Quil came in the kitchen scaring the crap out of Ed and Seth who were the only ones there at the moment, seeing that the servants were sitting outside having their lunch on one of the picnic tables.

"Billy sent me to escort Seth back to the room and stay there with him. There was a miscommunication and two of the packs are here a day early. They would expect to take advantage of all the house's amenities, including the sub. Let's go; he is trying to keep them busy in the lounge." Since life was never easy for the slave the instant they stepped into the hallway to take the long way to the room to avoid the lounge entirely, a strong wind blew, bringing Seth's scent to the group gathered there.

The group of visitors consisted of five men, two from one pack and three from another. They travelled all the way from Quebec at the call for packs willing to create alliances with Billy to go against the council and the west. Almost moving as one all the heads turned to look at the shaking form of the slave. They hadn't been quick enough and now they were caught. The room became abuzz with several people all talking at once. They sounded angry; it was hard to understand much of anything, all Seth could make out were the words lie, betray, waste and abuse.

Quil pulled the slave by one arm to get him away from the agitated crowd. Even though he shouldn't, the submissive turned to look in the direction of the lounge. Seth's eyes connected for a fraction of a second with those of a man whose appearance screamed alpha. "Seth… Seth Clearwater!" Called said alpha before taking off running in the direction of the slave.

"Is that your full name?" Quil whispered his question to the slave whose eyes went wide the instant he heard his name. Seth just nodded as his answer.

The alpha caught up with them quickly. Quil pushed Seth behind him protectively. "Is this your slave?" The alpha asked brusquely getting the upper hand and not letting Quil speak.

"No he is not; anyway, he will not be shared among your men." Answered Quil snappily, his voice was more a snarl than anything else.

Even though the alpha was not intimidated he brought his aggressiveness down a notch. "That's not why I ask. I knew him… I mean I know him. Please forgive me but it's like seeing a ghost. I was certain he had died." At that moment he looked behind Quil's massive form to find Seth on his knees in total submission.

"Stand up damn it!" Bellowed the alpha calling the attention of everyone present. Quil tensed up as he stood defensively between the slave and the visitor. Seth didn't move, he was unsure of who he must obey in that situation.

"Sir I must ask you to go back to your pack, you can't speak to this slave." Quil was making an effort to be diplomatic since the packs were there to provide assistance to Billy.

"Says who? You're not his master and I have not disrespected the house." The visitor was correct in everything he said; Quil had no say over the slave.

"He has no say but I do!" Jacob's voice boomed in the hallway. "Quil, take him away."

"What gives you the right to say who I talk to and who I don't? The slave has no rights but I do. We came here with the best intentions. We have two common enemies and we were willing to work together to bring them both down. But I'm afraid we must go, there will be no partnership made here today. I vowed a long time ago that I would never associate with anyone who participated in such a disgusting practice. Slavery is something to be ashamed of, not something to be flaunted. It doesn't give you status; it lowers you to the status of a snake." Spat the alpha, his whole form shaking in anger.

"Son, please at least let him say hello to his friend." Billy's request wasn't a command but it carried with it the same authority. He was not willing to lose a possible alliance that would help everyone because of his son's fears. There was one thought shared between the visitors though. Why were the Blacks so protective of a lowly slave?

"Dad…" All Billy had to do was arch one perfect eyebrow to transmit his message, he meant business and Jake had to comply.

"Ok you can talk to him but on my terms. I'll stay here and the second I say he is done you will walk away, understood?" The visitor didn't reply he just walked around Quil and stood before the submissive.

The alpha knelt beside the slave since he feared the sub would be punished if he stood up. "Are you Seth Clearwater?" The hope in the words of the alpha warmed the heart of everyone present. The slave nodded since he hadn't been given permission to speak.

"Oh my God it's you, it's really you! How is this possible? I saw your ashes, the sons of bitches showed me your ashes!" With every sentence the volume and excitement of the alpha increased. The memories of that time attacked the visitor crushing his chest and making his heart ache. Several bitter but relieved tears escaped the corners of his eyes. He had been devastated by the death of one so young and innocent. The alpha couldn't help himself and rounded with his arms the slim body of the submissive who was frozen in place out of fear. Jacob had to muffle a growl that bubbled inside him when one look from his father made him stay in place.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Many years had passed since he saw a slave for the last time; he had forgotten the rules regarding their behavior.

"You have to give him permission to speak." Advised Quil

"Damn it I forgot, please speak."

"Hello Emmet" Greeted Seth shyly.

"My God it's you! Seth I can't believe this. Did I die and now I'm in heaven in front of one of his angels?" Emmet raised his face to look around him, like he was searching for fluffy clouds and angels playing their harps. Instead he saw Jacob's annoyed expression. "Nah this can't possibly be heaven, he is here." He said pointing to Seth's master.

"Seth, does Leah know you're here?" At the mention of his sister's name Seth perked up and was very close to committing an act of defiance by looking a dominant in the face.

"No she doesn't" Answered Seth in a small voice.

Again Emmet hugged the slave so hard he could crush him. Jacob was one minute away from ripping Emmet's arms off, the damn wolf was like a fucking bear. He needed to learn to keep his hands to himself. He spent so many years blaming himself for the death of the slave and here he was alive and well. When he turned his back on his family and left, he took with him the memory of a handsome boy with a beautiful eyes and lashes that went on for miles. Grabbing the small hands of the slave he kissed them adoringly as tears rolled down his cheeks and onto the slave's hands.

"I think this is enough conversation; Seth, stand up and go to the room, now!" Jacob's command resounded in the long hallway producing an echo. The slave pulled his hands away from Emmet's grasp and stood. Without looking at anyone he turned on his heels and left in the direction he was heading when Emmet called them.

Emmet stayed on the floor in the same position he was when talking to Seth. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the sub was alive. Once again he confirmed the deceitful nature of the men of their village and more than ever felt he did the right thing by rejecting his family, friends and heritage. He wished the town still existed just so he could go and set ablaze the damn place.

"Brother, is that the submissive you told us about?" One of his pack brothers placed his hand on the alpha's shoulder to bring him to the here and now. Emmet turned to look at him, his teary red-rimmed eyes putting in evidence how the events of that day affected him. "Yes that's him." He stood up walking in the direction of the lounge like he was in autopilot. Once there he looked around to find all eyes on him, some eyes showed concern, others curiosity. He felt his body quiver and shake; he barely had enough time to run outside before phasing. His body exploded into a black wolf with a white patch of fur on its chest and another one on the top of its head. He took off running in no specific direction; he just needed to calm down. It was like finding a lost treasure after fifteen years and knowing he couldn't touch it.

Back in the room Quil waited for Jake, he knew he wouldn't want Seth by himself with all the strange wolves in the house and neither did he. Seth paced nervously, just that morning things had been so wonderful between them. In the blink of an eye their world was turned upside down when a curve ball was thrown at them and they were unable to catch it. "Do you think Jake will be angry with me?" Asked Seth concerned.

"I don't think so, you did nothing wrong Seth. Don't worry."

As on cue Jake stormed in the room putting Quil on alert in case he had unintentionally deceived the slave. Seth wanted nothing but to run to the arms of his lover but stopped in his tracks when he took in the irate expression on his face.

"Quil thanks; you can go." Jacob was trying to be polite but he wasn't fooling anyone, he was pissed.

"Jake if it's all the same to you I'll stick around for a while." Answered Quil.

The master was confused by his friend's attitude until he caught sight of the fear in Seth's eyes. "Damn it! Serves me right, my reputation precedes me I guess." He approached Seth and taking him into his arms kissed his temple before whispering in his ear. "Baby you have nothing to be afraid of, you haven't done anything wrong. Even if you did I wouldn't hurt you, I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

Seth relaxed in his master's arms. Jacob gently placed one hand on the submissive's back and guided him to the bed. They sat together before the master grabbed the sub's hands in a manner very similar to how Emmet had done it. "Dad wasn't happy with me. He said I was rude to his guest and I put you at risk with my attitude. I'm sorry for endangering you, it was not my intention. About that Emmet or whatever his name is I give a flying rat ass about his feelings. Who does he think he is coming to my house and putting the moves on my boyfriend?" The master nuzzled his submissive's neck and inhaled his scent, its calming effect working like a charm.

"Flying rat ass?" Questioned the slave with humor in his voice.

"Are you making fun of me?" Jacob's words would've terrified the slave if it wasn't for the small smile on his handsome face. He tried to sound stern but failed miserably. Seth nodded which earned him a round of tickles.

Seeing that it was obvious Jake wasn't going to hurt the submissive Quil excused himself and exited the room. The master sat with his back against the headboard and pulled Seth to his lap. The right side of the slave's body was toward his master with his legs draped over to Jake's right side while he rested against the alpha's broad chest. "Puppy, was that the same Emmet that was with you the first time you phased? The one who was crushing on your sister?" Seth nodded and no more words were exchanged between the lovers. The slave wanted to ask his master the reason for his question but decided against it.

The next morning found Jake exhausted because of lack of sleep. They were both tired and fell asleep soon after dinner. The master woke up startled after having a nightmare that left him shaken and worried. It had been weeks since he had a nightmare. The main difference was that this time the main focus of the nightmare had been Seth and not his mother. In his dream he saw how his pup was ripped from his hands while he screamed for help, but nobody came to their aid. He could see the terror in his pup's face when he was being dragged away by an alpha. His thin arms flaying in the air as he tried to reach to his mate without any success. Like it usually happens with dreams Jake remembered feeling like his feet were encased in cement, rendering him unable to walk. After that the master couldn't go back to sleep and instead observed the sleeping form of his lover. Even if he could never look at anything else ever again he was content for having his pup in his arms. There he would be protected and loved for all eternity.

After showering together master and slave proceeded to start their day. Neither one of them was very hungry, something which was very surprising to them both. Seth brought in the tray with their breakfast and took his usual spot on Jake's lap. The master had no intention of leaving the slave by himself and was waiting for Quil to show up so he could go and get some work done. After some time there were several firm knocks on the door and the sub ran to open it thinking it was Quil. There was a wolf at the door but to his total surprise it was not Quil but Emmet. The submissive inhaled sharply before sinking to the floor in submission.

"Seth stand the fuck up, never kneel in front of me. I'm your friend not your master." The slave hesitated but stood up taking a step back to put himself out of Emmet's reach. "Is Jacob here?"

"What do you want? You have some nerve coming in my room. Seth go and close the partition behind you." Instructed Jacob.

Emmet extended his arm and grabbed the sub's arms softly. "Don't go, if it's ok with your master I would like to talk to you."

"It's not ok with me; he is my slave and has no business with you or your people." Jacob's defensive attitude was very puzzling. Emmet had never seen a master care for his slave as much as Jake obviously did.

"Let me tell you something Jacob Black, I've known this man way longer than you. He was my friend long before he came to your service. I'm not asking you for a fucking kidney, all I want is to talk to him… Please."

Something in Emmet's voice or maybe the memory of the tale of horror that the slave lived where Emmet had been the only person to show him any compassion made the master re-think his decision to dismiss the wolf. Jacob feared he would come to regret it but invited the wolf in. "You have five minutes. I'll be watching you so don't try to pull the same crap as yesterday."

"What crap?"

"You know the crap I'm talking about, the hugging and kissing. Keep your hands to yourself and your lips away from him. I will not hesitate to beat the shit out of you if you put your paws on him again."

"I understand, under normal circumstances I would tell you to go ram yourself but I'm well aware that if I piss you off Seth will pay for it, so I'll respect your orders."

The master didn't answer he was too annoyed to give the alpha more importance than he deserved. Emmet took a seat in one of the sofas in the sitting room observing the scene before him with curiosity. The master left Seth with Emmet and entered his office from where he had a good view of the two. Seth sat on the floor a safe distance from the alpha. "Seth why don't you sit next to me? I won't bite. By the way, don't wait for my authorization to speak, ok buddy?" The alpha's attempts warmed the sub's heart. After all this time he was still the same Emmet that used to visit his house whenever his parents were out. The one who always made a point to talk to him even though Leah was the object of his desire.

"Slaves can't sit on the furniture." Whispered Seth.

Emmet huffed in annoyance before sliding down to the floor and sitting beside Seth. "I guess that if the mountain will not come to Mohamed, Mohamed must go to the mountain. I'm looking at you but still can't believe you're here. Please tell me what's happened since I saw you last."

"Well, as you know I was initiated." Emmet visibly tensed and Seth calculated how fast he could move away from the alpha before he phased. "I was sold to my first owner, he died and I was sold to a second one who sold me when he got married. That's how I ended up here after Mr. William Black bought me for his son."

"I have been racking my mind since yesterday thinking whose ashes I saw."

"Tyler's; four days into our initiation he died in my arms after he was hurt by some men." Both men cringed as the image popped in their heads. Emmet was lucky since he could choose how to picture Tyler. Seth on the other hand had been a witness to the terror they both lived, something he would never forget.

"Why did they tell Leah and me it was you who died?"

"My best guess is that my father knew Leah wouldn't rest until she got me back and probably bribed them so they would lie."

"Sounds like something he would do." Said Emmet with disgust.

"What do you know of Leah, where is she?" Asked Seth.

"She got married to Jasper two weeks after you "_died". _After that, Jasper, her and your parents boarded a boat to South America. I never heard from her again."

"What the hell happened to our village? The place is a ghost town."

"I'm not sure, there were rumors of a town destroyed in a flood but I'm not sure if it was ours. I left the day after Leah's wedding. I wanted to leave earlier but she asked me to help her with something and I couldn't say no."

"Why did you leave? Don't take me wrong, I'm happy you did, but why?"

"Seth, after I phased I went to see your sister, your parents had her under house arrest and she couldn't contact Jasper. I contacted him and told him what was happening. He sent a messenger with the note to pay for you freedom and that's when Leah was told that you had died." Emmet's voice cracked as the emotion overwhelmed him. "I went to the initiation hall because I needed to see with my own eyes. There were several men there talking about the submissives. You don't want to know the things they were saying. They were flaunting how they tortured, raped and abused you and that other kid. One of those men was my father. I confronted him and he didn't even try to deny it. I phased with the intention of killing them but my father ordered me to stand down. I had no choice but to relent and go home. When I got home I confronted my mother too and she was flabbergasted. She knew a big sum of money had been discounted from our credits but when she asked dad he said he lent the money to a friend."

"Excuse me but I don't understand what does money have to do with the initiations?"

"My dear friend, I guess you don't know one of the council dirty little secrets. The men that participate in the initiations pay to be there. The biggest _contributor _gets to be the one to take your innocence. Your father even demanded that a portion of the money be given to him since he had Leah's wedding coming up and he had given you up willingly." After hearing this Jacob couldn't stay in the office any longer.

Seth was taken aback by his master's appearance; he was pale and his eyes wide. A few tears stuck to his long eyelashes. "Do you mean to tell us that the council also makes money from the initiations? From torturing helpless human beings and reducing them to nothing." Jake said, his body shaking in anger, his fists so tight his knuckles looked white. What he failed to realize was that he was letting Emmet see him affected by what he was hearing, if he was a new enemy he was putting his whole house and especially the man he loved in serious jeopardy.

"That's exactly right, like you didn't know it. Don't be such a hypocrite." Spat Emmet while wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"I swear I didn't know that. Until Seth told me what happened to him I didn't even know what took place in the initiations." Whether it was the barely audible tone of his voice or the obvious emotion in his words Emmet believed him. Instead of doubting him he was perplexed by Jacob's sincerity and vulnerability.

"Well now you know it." Commented Emmet dismissively.

"Emmet, was my dad among the men that…?" Seth would rather not know this, but curiosity got the best of him.

"I don't think so, my mother said she saw him the second day after you phased. The day they… well you know."

"How did you know what was happening?"

"Are you kidding me?" Emmet jumped to his feet and began pacing back and forth between Jacob and Seth. His hands trembled as he brought them to his face to wipe the tears that were streaming down his face. "Seth, for as long as I live I will always remember your screams. I could hear them in the dormitory. You begged them to stop; you told them it hurt, to please leave you alone, you…" Emmet couldn't continue as he was overtaken by the tortuous memories of that wretched day. Bringing his hands to his face he sobbed loudly.

"You couldn't fucking help him?" Jacob hissed through clenched teeth.

"I was burning up with the fever, I didn't phase until the next day. When I tried to get to where they had him they knocked me out and took me to my father's house where I was left under my father's supervision."

"Nobody is blaming you Emmet. It's not your fault I was born a freak."

"Seth don't say that. I've never met anybody whose spirit was more pure than yours. There is not one bad bone in your body. I admired you so much, I still do. Still I resigned myself with watching you from a distance even though all I wanted was to be close to you."

"Close to me? But you were always chasing after Leah."

"My sweet innocent wolf, the only reason I chased Leah was for a chance to be close to you. It was always about you. To this day I've refused to find a mate because nobody would compare to you."

Jake was already livid, but with a different kind of anger. "I think you're done here. It has been more than five minutes. Get out of my room." The green eyed monster roared his ugly head, winked an eye and took over Jacob.

"What's your problem Black? Can't wait to have him under you? Damn it! What do you care if I was in love with him? What do you care if I'm still in love with him? It's not like you even know how to love."

"My problem is that you're pissing me off. Yes I can't wait to have him under me, on his knees and on all fours. There is nothing I can do about your feelings in the past but get it in your thick head; you'll not get your filthy paws on him. Now shut the hell up and get the fuck out of here!" It was a dangerous place to be, trapped in a room with two volatile alphas ready to kill each other.

Seth stood up, ready to get between them if that would help avoid a fight. He knew that once they engaged in battle they would only obey their wolf and only one of them will be left standing at the end. He couldn't bear to see either man lose their lives for him. "Before you go Emmet, you said Leah asked you to help her with something, what was it?" The submissive's voice was enough to make both men stop.

"Oh that." Emmet chuckled lightly. "Man that was fucking epic, your parents got a little bit of payback courtesy of your sister. I'm glad you're sitting down, you're going to like this."


	31. Chapter 31

**Hello, I apologize for taking this long to update. I want to thank all the reviewers, and those who favorite and alerted. To the guest reviewers, especially Blue Anchor, thank you for the amazing reviews. **

**Please check out a new story by TurnItUp03 titled The Alpha's Imprint. Those of you who are familiar with his work know of his great imagination and amazing storytelling.**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 31**

"C'mon buddy, I think you're going to like this." Emmet placed his hand over Seth's shoulders to try and guide him back to their original spot. Jacob wouldn't have any of that and grabbing Seth's arm pulled him to himself. They would've engaged in a game of tug of war in which the slave could get seriously hurt. Fortunately for the submissive his master loved him more than he hated Emmet; he eased off and allowed the slave to be guided by the visitor back to their spot.

Seth looked apologetically at his master who looked unmistakably furious. Anger and jealousy flowed through his veins like lava. If it wasn't for the risk that he could hurt his lover he would've confronted the guest who was stepping in his territory. Jacob amused himself wishing he was some kind of wizard or witch doctor that could place a tribal curse on Emmet that would make his dick fall off. He caught himself smiling maliciously at the thought, it was disturbingly comforting.

"After finding out about your supposed unfortunate end Leah was never the same. She would tell anybody who would listen how much she hated her parents. She revealed how your parents treated you, how they starved and beat you. This made your parents life a little difficult but not enough. Your sister demanded payback for the fourteen years of misery you endured and your horrible _death_. Several people cut all ties to your family and declared them _personae non grata_. This infuriated your father and he demanded that Leah would tell everybody she lied but we both know how stubborn she can be." Both friends chuckled remembering the only girl in their village that could make a grown man cry just by looking at him.

"She didn't care about the party; she loved Jasper with all her being and wanted nothing more than to be his wife. She wanted to have an intimate wedding ceremony but called off the reception; after all she was in mourning. She was appalled by the idea of being paraded around town dressed up like a china doll. To add insult to injury she would have to feed the same group of lowlifes that caused your death. She told your mother about her reservations thinking that she still had a little love for you in her heart and would understand. She was mistaken. Leah was flabbergasted when your mom told her that the wedding would cement their position as one of the most influential families of not only their town but the whole area and she was not willing to risk that. They would not live there anymore, but wanted to erase you from people's minds. Pretend like you never existed. After all, in their twisted minds you only brought disgrace to their family and were not worth losing status." Seth felt like part of his inner light had been extinguished. He knew they didn't love him but somewhere inside the part of his heart that held on to hope there was a little flame with his parents' names on it. That flame was gone, leaving in its place a cold empty hole.

"Don't hold back asshole, nice way of making him feel like shit." Growled Jacob, not caring that his feelings were becoming evident. Emmet was stumped for a minute; on one hand he realized too late he had been talking with a foot in his mouth, on the other hand he didn't know any dominant that would care about the feelings of his slave.

"Not up to a little competition? I know it's your job to make him miserable. Anyway is not like you care." Spat Emmet with contempt in every syllable. "I'm sorry Seth, it was not my intention." Emmet's eyes found those of the slave who rewarded him with a minute smile. He knew very well that it was not Emmet's intention to make him sad, but the truth was that he did. The visitor knew he messed up; he was very insensitive to the sub. He took Seth's small hands in his own and rubbed them on his lips alternating his kisses with whispered _I'm sorry_. This infuriated the master to no end; he looked like he would start foaming at the mouth at any moment. Jacob jumped to his feet, Emmet immediately responded by doing the same. They were two angry bulls ready to charge. Jaws clenched, nostrils flared, fists opening and closing at their sides. A small whimper escaped Set's lips as he cowered back trying to protect himself from what seemed inevitable. That soft sound was enough to call the dominant's attention and prevent the fight.

"Are you done?" Breathed Jacob through clenched teeth.

"No I'm not. Seth wants to know and I intend to tell him. Where was I? Oh right, an idea popped in her head and she appointed Jasper, my mom and I as her assistants. First she told your mom she wanted a different dress, one with a big poufy skirt. She only wanted to have a little more time and sending your mom in a wild goose chase for the perfect dress gave her just that. Your mom got her one in which she looked so beautiful, just like a princess. My mother kicked my father out of the house and he was crashing at a friend's house while begging my mom every day to take him back. The day your mom delivered the wedding invitation my mom spat on her face and told her to never even look in her direction again. She knew I loved you and suffered your loss almost as much as I did. I've never seen my mother phase out of anger before. I have to confess I was scared of my mom when she exploded into her silver wolf right on our front porch." Emmet's frown spoke of distant memories, ones that would always remain as a deep mark in his spirit.

"Are you close to wrapping this up? I'm bored and want you to leave." Huffed Jacob in annoyance, he was downright rude and didn't care that the visitor was reliving a traumatic experience.

Emmet was able to put himself together before continuing. "Don't fret my pet. I'm getting to the good stuff now." Emmet was threading dangerous waters. He didn't know what Jacob was capable of. "With my mom's help we replaced the wedding favors in the little boxes with different things that reminded us of you. A poem, dry flowers and even rocks, just like the ones you use to collect when you were little. She added a personal note to each box before closing it and addressing each one individually. Of course in the note she accused the person to whom it was addressed of a crime against you and declared the punishment she believed that person deserved." Seth's breath hitched as he thought of his sister doing something so crazy and risky. He knew nobody would harm a female but even the possibility of something happening to her made his heart ache.

"The day of the wedding the way she looked could be described as hate mixed with hurt but mostly utterly miserable. The wedding was at four o'clock, I went to see her at noon and your house was a hub of activity. The only person who didn't care one bit was Leah, she just sat there angry and bored while they did her hair and makeup. She only spoke to your parents when it was absolutely necessary. She had asked me to escort her to the wedding venue. Your father was about to send me away saying that he and your mom would escort her when she came over and coldly told them she didn't want them near her. They seemed to be hurt by this a great deal but I couldn't bring myself to care. It was even worse when Leah told your mom that she would get dressed in my house. Your mom went to protest but Leah asked me to grab her dress and we left, leaving your mom fuming. In a way my mom got her wish of helping a daughter get dressed for her wedding. At least something good came out of that, right?" Emmet paused for a moment but this time Jacob didn't feel inclined to rush him. He could sense his pup was very disturbed by what he was hearing and wanted to pick him up, place him on his lap and smother him with kisses, unfortunately he couldn't. Instead he had to push down his wolf who was trying to come out and comfort its mate. When Seth wiped Emmet's tears and kissed his cheek the visitor was elated and wrapped his arms around the slave's waist and pulled him closer. They comforted each other; the wave of sadness that enveloped them was becoming overwhelming.

"We arrived at the ceremony hall and I walked her down the aisle. Your father was told beforehand he wouldn't have that honor. She only smiled to Jasper, everybody else got a scowl. Your parents still looked pretty smug since she looked really beautiful and they could always make up any cockamamie excuse for me walking her. The only time she looked happy was when she was declared Mrs. Leah Whitlock. In the reception hall she didn't say hello to the guests as they came in, your parents had to do it. She only interacted with the guests to hand them their box with the personalized message. She needed to make sure that she asked each person to wait until she told them to open it. Nobody questioned her and waited patiently. You should have seen the look in everybody's faces when Leah told them to open their gifts. Several men got slapped in the face before their wives or husbands exited the venue. Some guests left immediately not waiting for what Leah could do next. The vast majority stayed though, they pretended like there was nothing wrong with the contents of their boxes."

"Glasses were filled with pink champagne for the toast which was given by your sister. Man that toast was one for the history books. Nobody escaped her wrath; my mom lied to my father telling him she would take him back if he told her who participated in your initiation. She gave the list to Leah before kicking him back out into the street." Jacob wanted to kick himself for feeling admiration toward the mother of the beast that sat before him. She had been more of a mother to Seth than his own ever was.

"Your mom and dad tried to stop her and put an end to what they called her hysterics. Jasper, me and a few other guys prevented them from touching her. She ended the toast by asking everybody to raise their glasses and drink. By that moment everybody's throats were dry and they were more than happy to comply. When she saw most glasses empty she said that what they drank was not pink champagne but cider mixed with blood. The blood of her brother and all the other submissives that had perished at the hands of the men in that wretched village. That now their blood was inside them where it would make them rot from the inside out. She wished every person who ever laid a hand on a submissive to die a slow painful death. At the end of this she lifted the tablecloth on the main table and revealed a poster where she wrote your name in blood. It also said council equals murderers and the name of every man that took part in your initiation under the heading _list of rapists_. She wanted to give your parents a surprise and leave a memory in the people of our town that couldn't be erased, kind of like payback. She achieved that and more. This was something people would remember for generations. I was concerned for a minute with Jasper's reaction until I overheard him tell her how proud he was of her."

"What did my parents say about this?" Asked Seth, not concerned for his parents but for his sister and her new husband.

"As you can imagine the party ended right there and people escaped rather than left. The next morning Leah, Jasper and your parents left. They were going to catch a boat that would transport them to the southern tip of South America. It's not safe for two women to make such a long journey on foot. Your parents thought that they struck gold when they made Jasper sign the damn contract stating that they would live with the newlyweds. What they didn't suspect was that Jasper made an amendment to the contract and they would only live with them for two years. In their arrogance they didn't read it before signing. After those two years it would be up to Leah to decide if they would stay. I have a pretty good guess of what she decided. In addition to my mom and me several of my friends left the village. Two other wives left their husbands and joined us. We were welcomed in Quebec where we formed a pack with me as alpha. Years later we received notice that my father had died and my mom was free to re-marry. I think he perished on whatever destroyed our hometown"

"I'm speechless, I knew my sister loved me but this is insane." Seth's gaze locked in an undetermined point as he reflected on everything he had been told. In such a short time he learned Emmet secretly loved him. He was never one to succumb to pride but he felt honored that somebody he held in high esteem had such deep feeling for him. He couldn't love him though; Jacob's name was branded in his skin and in his soul. The submissive knew he could live many lifetimes, even die and come back to life in a different body and under different circumstances but he would still find his way to Jake. Leah risked so much for him; he prayed that he would get to see her again, if only to tell her he loved her with the same intensity she loved him. Neither dominant dared make a sound that would interrupt his musings and disturb his thoughts. The slave stood up for no other reason than the need to move. Emmet stood beside him and went to hug him but Jacob wouldn't have any of that, he was tired of the visitor's touchy feely shit. He growled in warning but was utterly ignored by the visitor. Emmet did notice how red his face was and could've sworn he saw the vein that was sticking out on the side of the forehead pulsing. This instead of intimidating him made him internally chuckle.

"Are you feeling alright Black? If you need to go take a dump I'll keep an eye on the sub. I would love to get reacquainted with him, especially now that he is no longer a kid." He winked an eye as he said this and went to stroke the submissive's cheek. His hand never reached Seth's skin though, Jake yanked his mate away. This startled the slave who loudly yelped Jacob's name. He didn't mean to put them in evidence, he was taken by surprise and was far too used to saying his name. It just slipped out.

Emmet looked horrified, he knew that Jacob was protective of the slave and didn't seem to be mistreating him but surely something like that would warrant a beating. Seth dropped to his master's feet as if begging for forgiveness. The funny thing was that Jacob hadn't even noticed his name being said. He was too focused on the wolf that was putting the moves on his boyfriend.

"Do not fucking touch him, he is my property. I'm sick and tired of you putting your grubby paws on him and making him stink." Jacob shoved Emmet while standing between him and a wide eyed slave. His protective stance was very uncharacteristic of any dominant when it came to their slaves. This behavior was saved for their mates and their children.

Emmet was very confused and blurted out, "So who are you exactly? The master or the slave?" To the alpha Jake seemed more like an overbearing big brother or a brutish bodyguard. Of the few slave owners he had the displeasure of meeting Jacob was by far the strangest.

Jake was stumped; he didn't know how to react to that statement. What he did know was that he felt this overwhelming need to pummel Emmet McCarthy until there would be nothing left of him but a blob of macerated flesh. Noticing his master was about to charge at his friend, Seth scrambled to his feet to work his way between them. Both wolves tried to shove the pup away, both of them trying to protect him from each other, yet Seth was trying to protect them from each other.

The whole scene looked utterly ridiculous. Jake didn't want Seth touching Emmett, or Emmett touching Seth, and Emmett felt the same way about Jake, while Seth didn't want the doms touching each other. He was worried about them fighting. In a moment of clarity Jacob started laughing at the absurdity of the whole situation. Why did he care if Emmet was trying to put the moves on his boyfriend? He trusted Seth and knew that nothing would come out of this. The slave saw his master laughing and relaxed. Jacob's laughter was contagious and in no time Seth's laughter filled the room. Emmet followed their lead and started laughing also; this immediately made the master stop and sternly tell the visitor to shut up. The moment was lost and Jake dragged Seth away and pushed the pup to the floor before sitting on the sofa right behind him.

"To answer your question I'm the master." Stated Jacob calmly even though he knew that if there was one real master in that room that would be Seth. Proof of it was that he had two alphas fighting over him. One that many would consider insignificant had two men willing to get on their knees and beg for his attention.

"That's good to know because in all honesty you act more like a bitch than a master." Uttered Emmet arrogantly.

"Seth, your friend here doesn't know the difference between a master and a slave. Show him who the submissive is." Seth was deeply hurt by this but pushing his feelings aside knelt, turned so he faced his master and went for his crotch.

Jacob was appalled, that was not what he meant at all. "Sub stop being such a slut, have you no shame?" The softness on the master's voice as he scolded his submissive didn't go unnoticed by Emmet. Seth sat back down, this time with his side toward his master. That way he could look both at Jake and at Emmet. He was trying to make sense of the situation but it was very confusing.

"Seth lift your shirt." Ordered Jacob. His voice was low, his tone taunting as he slowly enunciated each word.

The submissive slowly lifted his shirt until he revealed his master's initials branded on his chest. Emmet's eyes widened as his stomach sank at the sight before him. The red scars on the slave's chest mocking him, letting him know he had been incapable of protecting the one he loved. Jacob relaxed on the sofa and smugly looked at the other dominant's horrified expression. What neither man knew was that the master's attitude was nothing but a front. His stomach churned as bile rose to his mouth because he was so sickened by what he had done to his mate.

Still he boasted. "Emmet my friend, tell me, can you point to the bitch now?" The visitor shook his head from side to side trying to disperse the images of what he just witnessed but it was to no avail.

Seth felt humiliated, yet when his shirt went back down he felt his master's hands caressing his back. In his head he knew Jake meant no harm, but in his heart he felt that once more he had to pay because of the needs of the dominants. He was stuck in the middle of a pissing match of the worst kind, between two volatile alphas.

Emmet couldn't stand being in Jacob's presence anymore and stormed out of the room but not before threatening the alpha. "You took what should've been mine a long time ago. Watch your back, you are not infallible. You'll fall and when you do I'll make sure to be there to claim what is destined for me. Maybe the spirits will grant me the pleasure of striking you down myself."

Seth knew his friend meant well but his words still infuriated him. He didn't take kindly to anyone threatening his mate. "My loyalty lies with my master alone. If his life is unjustly stolen from this world I would never voluntarily lay with whoever caused his demise. You will have to force me, you'll turn into what you claim to abhor". Emmet was shocked and hurt by Seth's statement, but even then didn't blame him.

The door was slammed so hard that it almost came off its hinges. Jacob's heart swelled in his chest when he heard his submissive's words. Still he felt undeserving of such loyalty and love. Seth walked past his lover without turning to look at him. He hid in his bathroom and slid along the wall until his behind hit the cold tile floor. Two silent tears fell on the ground an instant before a quiet sob escaped his lips. Seth brought his knees to his chest and buried his face between them. The flood gates opened, making his shoulders shake with louder and harsher sobs. Jacob had been listening behind the door; his heart ached with the knowledge than he caused those tears. In his eagerness to demonstrate his superiority he failed to take into account Seth's feelings.

The master couldn't wait outside the bathroom any longer and pushing the door open slipped inside and sat beside the submissive. "I'm sorry; I'm a selfish idiot and hurt you again." The result of Jacob's apology was that Seth's tears became a constant waterfall. The submissive didn't even fight when his master picked him up bridal style and carried him to the bed.

Jacob rocked Seth in his arms as he sobbed against his chest very much like the first time he broke down when they visited his house. Jacob glided his fingers softly on the slave's back while cooing him. The master held on to the submissive until his sobs became nothing more than sniffles. Only then Seth pulled back to look at his master ruefully. "I'm sorry Jake; let me get you another shirt. I got this one all wet."

"Baby do you think I give a damn about my shirt? I don't want to find out how many times I'll mess up before you decide I'm not worth your tears. I'm trying baby, I love you so much but can't seem to do anything right. Please know that it was not my intention to humiliate you. I just got jealous and lost my cool, first Embry and now Emmet, I'm going to start hating any name starting with the letter E." Jake's comment made Seth chuckle. "How do you feel? Want to punch me? Hit me in the nuts?"

"No Jake, now I just feel tired." As he finished the sentence Seth let out a wide yawn.

"Lie down angel, this was too intense. It's past noon; I'll wake you up in a couple of hours." Seth did as instructed and in matter of minutes he was dead to the world. Jake sat next to him until he was sure the submissive was sleeping soundly.

After exiting the room Emmet ran to the end of the hallway and down the stairs barely having time to step outside before he exploded into a russet wolf with a black face and paws. The breeze on his fur and the dull ache on his muscles were surprisingly soothing. Emmet returned to the manor after he was calm enough to phase back. One of his companions handed him some pants, he took them but rejected the shirt. As it was he felt like he was burning up. "So Emmet, did you get to talk to your friend?"

"Yes I talked to him; he didn't know anything about the aftermath of his death. I was planning to go back without even considering William's request but I'm having second thoughts. I need to keep tabs on Seth; if anything happens to him I'll know exactly who to kill and where to find him. I'll give this alliance a chance." When he was done saying this his stomach grumbled loudly.

"Come brother, the cook here is not half bad." The small group entered the kitchen where Edward was already making preparations for dinner.

Emmet plopped his oversize body on one of the stools by the island, his face turned toward the window and his gaze lost. "What's your problem?" Asked Edward. Emmet didn't answer; he was tense and wary around Edward since he sensed the alpha in him.

"The submissive owned by Black is an old friend." Answered one of Emmet's friends.

"That motherfucker has his claws so deep in him. It's like he brainwashed him." Grumbled Emmet.

"Brother he is not brainwashed, he is probably afraid. These men are divested of everything. They can't even think for themselves. Don't hold it against him, if by a chance of destiny he is ever free I know he will seek you." One of Emmet's friends tried to comfort him while the other looked as forlorn as Emmet himself.

"I hear you brother, I'm fucking frustrated. I could make him so happy, but it pisses me off that I'll never get a chance to prove myself to him." He slammed his fist on the granite countertop. "He needs a real man like me." As he said this Emmet poked his own chest with two fingers.

"Good luck with that, not even death will keep those two apart." Edward's mouth seemed to move faster than his brain. He needed to get the foot out of his mouth. "You said so yourself, if Jake has his claws so deep in him he will never let him out of his sight."

Emmet stopped paying attention to anybody and once again seemed to be lost in thought. "He was always so beautiful, still is. There is no submissive more perfect than him." Emmet's words didn't escape anyone in the kitchen, especially Edward.

"Oh shut up, get over it Seth will stay here and there is nothing you can do to change that. Anyway Embry is far more beautiful than Seth could ever be." Huffed Edward in annoyance before stomping out of the kitchen. After Edward disappeared over the threshold the wolves exchanged strange looks asking themselves who the hell was Embry.

Jacob didn't have the heart to wake up his submissive and tried to get some work done, tried being the operative word. He was close to hyperventilating every time his mind took him back to the same thought. Could he do it? He felt like he was being watched and when he raised his eyes he saw Seth standing timidly by the door to his office. "Did I wake you?"

"No you didn't, I'm just hungry that's all." Answered Seth.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time. Before we go to the kitchen I need to inform you of something." Jake breathed deeply to calm himself before continuing. He waved his hand for the submissive to get closer. Seth stood before his master who took his small hands in his own and kissed them before speaking. "I can't continue hurting you. I'm not stupid, I don't deserve you but more importantly you don't deserve an asshole like me by your side. You need a good man that will love you unconditionally and doesn't have the history I do."

"What are you saying Jake?" Asked Seth worried. He had never seen such a distraught expression on his master's face.

"I'm saying that I have to do the right thing. I'm going to sign you off to Emmet." Jacob could kick himself when his voice cracked. "He cares about you a great deal and I'm convinced he will never hurt you the way I have and continue to do."

"You don't want me?" Seth's face contorted in pain, the self-hatred rearing its ugly head and convincing him he was being rejected because of what he was.

"Damn it Seth how can you say that? I love you with all my heart. I've been agonizing over this decision but I know it's the right one. All I've given you is pain and grief. From the first time you entered this hellhole of a house all I've done is make you miserable. Go get what you're bringing with you while I finalize the documents." Jacob wiped several angry tears that were gliding down his cheeks. He turned to look out the window while he calmed down. Thinking that Jacob was done Seth left the office with tears streaming down his face again.

The hours passed and the light outside was replaced by darkness. Jacob still hadn't moved from his chair, every time he convinced himself to go talk to Emmet he just sat back down again. He decided to bite the bullet but before leaving the room he wanted to say goodbye to the love of his life. Seth was his reason for living, without him his life would be nothing but a sequence of hours and days. But he couldn't be selfish; he had to do what was best for the pup. Looking around the dark room he found the submissive sitting on the floor by his chain with a small bundle on his lap. He sauntered to where the slave sat and knelt before him.

"Master I want you to have cookie, he is a good doggie and deserves a good master." Seth extended a trembling arm that held a small stuffed puppy to Jacob who unable to do anything due to the immense pain in his spirit didn't grab it. He could only think how young Seth sounded and felt repulsed with himself for soiling such a gentle and innocent creature. "Please take him, please Jake." The submissive's voice sounded utterly despondent as he begged his master.

Jacob's walls came crashing down and placing his arms around the submissive's small waist he wept with his head on his lap. Seth ran his fingers on his master's locks trying to take in and memorize everything about him. "Jake I don't see the point to this. It's making us both miserable. Please let me stay." Whispered the pup.

Jacob sat up rubbing his eyes with his hands trying to coax the tears to stop flowing. "Puppy why do you want to stay with me? One thing I admire about you is how selfless you are. Let me be good, let me be selfless too."

"You're good, don't you see? We complement each other. Like two parts of a whole. You say all you've given me is pain and grief, but you're mistaken. Aside from Leah I had never been loved and now you make me feel loved every second of every day. You act like the sun rises and sets with me. Not only that, I have friends and protectors. Even a father in law that acts more like a father than my own ever did." The submissive pleaded with his eyes when his voice failed him.

"Baby you mean that?" Seth nodded while a small smile crept on his lips. Jacob stood up and extended his hand to the slave to help him up. "Let's put your things back where they belong. I need to get some food into you. You were hungry earlier, by now you must be famished especially since you have been eating us out of house and home." The slave eagerly took his master's hand but instead of walking he flung himself to the alpha's arms. Jacob spun him around before warm soft lips found each other. That was the way they needed to be, in a world of uncertainty they needed their friendship, their company and their love to keep them alive.

The next morning found the two lovers fused in an embrace, their naked bodies an ode to their dreams and hopes. Seth tried to escape Jake's vice like grip but every time he tried he was held back in place by the thoroughly amused and giggling alpha. That afternoon the Canadian packs said their farewells and left with the promise of coming back the instant they were needed. With Emmet accepting the alliance the other pack felt inclined to trust the Blacks. They were the first step. Billy hoped his plan would have a domino effect, adding allies every day.

There was a knock on the door and Billy's voice could be heard from the other side of the door. "Son it's me, can I come in? I'm alone." Billy heard the click as the door was unlocked.

"What's up dad?" Whispered Jacob.

"Why are you whispering?" Jacob's gaze moved to the bed where his submissive lied sleeping soundly. Billy frowned as he detected a strong smell of sex coming from the room. "I see, son you're still being good to him right?" His gaze moving slowly from the submissive to his son.

"Dad he's sleeping on our bed, what do you think? Yes, we did make love since I know that's what you're implying but I didn't force him. He enjoys it, actually he demands it. He likes sex now more than ever." Jake's soft gaze landed on the sleeping form of his lover.

"What do you mean with now more than ever?"

"For the last week it's like all he wants to do is eat, sleep and fuck. I swear he is a bigger horn dog than I am."

"Son I really don't need to know about your sex life. Can we keep a few things a mystery?" Father and son chuckled at Billy's comment. "Ok what did I come here for? Oh yes the Canadian packs accepted the alliance. Now we have fifteen more wolves including two alphas. Emmet was the essential piece in this puzzle. In an effort to keep an eye on you and Seth he insisted on making the alliance happen. They were even willing to overlook the fact that we're slave masters. Also I want to give you this." Billy handed his son a silver key.

"What does this key open?" Asked Jacob while he studied the object.

"The collars, not only Seth's but all of them. It's a master key."

"This is great; I'll give it to Seth. If he needs to phase to protect himself he can open his own collar. This will help me sleep better at night. My puppy's safety is what matters the most." Billy placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder and squeezed lightly. He was so happy for his son that he was afraid. He feared that at any moment anything or anyone would take their happiness away. His son came back, like the prodigal son he found his way back home. The only difference being that Jacob didn't need to wander around lost. He had a beacon that guided him back.

"I'll go now so you can get back to… whatever." After kissing his son's forehead Billy exited the room, leaving the two lovers alone once more.

The next day Jacob was needed in one of the closest outposts, since he refused to spend the night away from his pup he left the house before sunup. After his shift in the kitchen ended Seth was ushered back to the room. Later in the afternoon a knock on the door and a friendly voice caught his attention. "Hey Quil what are you doing here?"

"Jake asked me to come check on you. He is worried because you felt warm this morning and he is afraid you might be sick."

"He worries too much. I'm fine, I may be a runt but I'm still a wolf, we don't get sick. What makes him think there is something wrong with me?" Quil took a breath to answer but instead their surrounding seemed to change as he quietly stared at the slave. The dominant was almost panting, the scent of his arousal reaching Seth and confusing him immensely. "Quil what's wrong?" Seth took one step back and Quil took one step forward. The submissive gasped when he saw his friend's eyes. Instead of the usual brown with golden flecks they were black as the darkest night. Quil's wolf was staring at Seth; its gaze burning the submissive's skin.

"Seth I don't know what the hell is going on with you but you smell absolutely mouthwatering." The slave gasped when he saw Quil do something completely uncharacteristic. He grabbed his crotch and began stroking himself over his clothes. Seth looked around planning his escape in case Quil had gone mental.

Quil walked in the submissive's direction. The scent of the dominant's arousal permeated in the room as he dangerously approached the slave. "Please stop, it's me, Seth. You don't want to do this; I know you don't hurt submissives. Please Quil you've never hurt a slave; don't make me the first one." Pleaded the slave.

"I'm trying but your aroma is like the strongest aphrodisiac." Quil was mere inches from the submissive when a hint of reasoning made him change course and run outside of the room. He slammed the door with all his strength before he leaned against it as he slid to the floor. Without caring who might see him Quil opened his zipper, took his member out and proceeded to stroke it a few times before he came all over his hand. Even after cumming the desire was still intact, he struggled to stay outside the room when all he wanted to do was run inside and bury himself inside Seth's incredible heat. He hated himself for even allowing that thought to be in his head. He couldn't help it; this was something strange and unexpected.

Luckily for all of them Quil was able to regain control over his body before Jacob got there. When he saw the alpha walking in his direction he felt a combination of relief and joy. "Jake thank goodness you're here. There is something strange going on with Seth. His scent is very different; I don't know how to explain it. One whiff and all I wanted was to… do stuff to him." Quil tried to put it mildly; he wanted to fuck the slave, to pound him into the closest flat surface. To bathe his insides with his seed. In a way he felt nature was ordering him to do this.

Before Quil could finish the thought he felt as his windpipe was being squeezed. He knew he was in serious trouble when he looked at his alpha. His face was one of pure rage. "You didn't!" Hissed Jacob.

Quil struggled to speak; he couldn't breathe and was afraid his friend would snap his neck at any moment. At that moment the door was opened and a scared looking submissive peeked out. "Master he didn't touch me, please let him go." Begged Seth. Quil slumped to the floor as he inhaled lungful after lungful of air.

After Quil had regained his normal coloring and the redness on his neck had vanished, the dominant was pulled to his feet by his alpha. Jacob looked at his friend apologetically but he knew that he would do it again in a heartbeat. No person walking the face of the earth was more important than his submissive. The dominants followed Seth into the room with Quil remaining by the door trying to stay as far away as possible from the slave as he could. Once inside the room Jacob understood what his friend meant. Seth looked flushed and his skin was warmer than ever. The pink tint on his cheeks making him look even more beautiful. His scent was deliciously intoxicating. Everything about the slave screamed sex and the alpha wanted to give it to him. As hard and as many time as his small body could take it. In this instance Seth was not left in the sidelines, he was right there with the dominants. He hadn't said anything because he didn't want to worry his boyfriend but he had been feeling consumed with lust in the past week. Only when this new appetite was sated he felt like he could breathe again. He didn't know if life caught up with him and his past traumas were coming back to haunt him. He doubted that though, it was more a physical need than a psychological one. Seth did feel guilty as part of him wanted Quil to take advantage of him. His mind knew it was wrong, he loved Jacob more than he loved himself. But his body had a mind of its own and it was ordering the submissive to surrender to a dominant.

"Jake if he affected me so much imagine what would happen with any other wolf. Please until we figure out what's going on with him keep him away from here. Take him out of the house before the guys start sniffing around." Even though Quil was at risk of losing his life at the hands of the alpha he still cared about him a great deal. But it was nothing when compared to what he felt for the submissive. Every time he looked at the slave it gave him hope that somewhere his brother would be alive and well.

"I'll do that and I'm sorry for before. I surprised even myself with my reaction. Maybe this is what love does to you, it makes you insane." The three friends chuckled at Jacob's comment. The master wasn't sure if he had admitted his feelings toward Seth to anyone. In any case at least his friends needed to know he was in love for the first time in his life.

"Jake I suggest you leave through one of the back doors, it's less likely you'll bump into somebody there. I think the cabin will be safe enough for you two. I'll escort you to help out in case there is trouble. " Quil chocked moan put in evidence the extent of the effect Seth was having on him. Even after coming once he was hard and leaking pre-cum that formed a small wet spot on his pants. Jacob couldn't blame him though; his own pants had become increasingly uncomfortable. Just the slight friction of the pants had him on the verge of an orgasm. Seth was tense and flustered; his body was demanding the dominant. Since Jake was in the room all desire for Quil had been substituted with raw animal need for his boyfriend. Whatever he had been feeling for Quil increased tenfold when it came to his master.

"Jake." Seth couldn't continue, the words got stuck in his throat. The aroma of his arousal enveloped the dominants making them both crazy with lust. Jake couldn't help himself and approached Seth who looked at him through half lidded eyes. Not caring about the fact that they had company the master cupped the slave's behind eliciting an erotic growl from the sub.

The hearts of the three men in the room raced, thudding hard against their chests. The heat radiating from Seth's body threatened to burn the dominants to their core. The slave smoothed his hand over the overheated bicep of his lover. He guided one of Jake's until it rested on his clothed erection. The alpha only had to stroke him a couple of times before the submissive gasped and shivered in delight.

"Jake, I need more." Seth's voice was a guttural sexy purr that enticed the dominants even more. The submissive was a tornado of lust, desire, need and soul-mending love. This was a dream come true for Jacob. His lover was enjoying and demanding sex, who could complain of something like this?

"And that I shall give you, but let's get out of here, poor Quil is about to have a heart attack." The trio hastily left the room and shifted once they were outside. They ran away from the house as fast as they could, grateful that there was no wind that could carry Seth's scent. Neither one of them understood what was going on. They feared this would be a test of their friendship and love, but especially of the strength of their bond.


End file.
